Half Moon
by Kitsune-ohime-sama
Summary: Being forced to come with his family to the luxurious, Konoha Lodge for Christmas is not Sasuke's idea of spending the holidays. However, the legend of the fox child lulls him into the forest surrounding the lodge. Will he find what he's looking for there or will his vacation fall flat? SasuNaru, ItaDei, KakaIru, Language, and AU. Shounen-Ai Rated T for Language and Blood.
1. 12-20

**Pairings:**

SasuNaru/ Magnet Shipping

KakaIru/ Animal Control Shipping

ItaDei/ Black & White Shipping

FugaMiko/ Persona Shipping

Hm?

I really need to stop making new fics?

BLASPHEMY GUYS!

Besides, this will only last to Christmas day. It's a count-down story. Five chapters to the five days until Christmas (It's 12/20/13 right now). I would've started it earlier (to make it an official 12 days) but I didn't think of it till now. :P

Anyway, this is mostly in Sasuke's POV. I'm not very good at writing Itachi! I'm sorry if he acts like fail because of it! T_T

**Summary:**

Being forced to come with his family to the luxurious, Konoha Lodge for Christmas is not Sasuke's idea of spending the holidays. However, the legend of the fox child lulls him into the forest surrounding the lodge. Will he find what he's looking for there or will his vacation fall flat?

**Warnings:** Language, Yaoi, and OOC moments.

Kakashi is a warning all on his own. (AKA, Perversion)

* * *

_December 20th_

_Arrival_

* * *

"Oh, Sasuke! Isn't it beautiful?" I found myself broken out of my glare out my window to look at the gleeful eyes of my mother, Uchiha Mikoto, who was looking behind her front seat of the car to stare at me. She is beautiful with the noticeably soft features of a woman. Her onyx eyes sparkled with a joyous glint as she smiled pleasantly at me. I wanted to smile back at her, but my annoyance and anger at my father stopped me. Instead, I nodded briskly before looking back out the window, watching a wilderness filled with brown, gray, and white pass by. There was plenty of snow on the ground and it should restart again early tomorrow.

I heard her sigh softly before the sounds of her turning around to face the front once more. Instantly, I felt like apologizing; she didn't deserve my distaste for this impromptu trip to the middle of nowhere for the holidays.

My father had literally told my older brother and I last night during dinner that we would be leaving our mansion in Otogakure to the village high in the mountains, Konohagakure. Neither Itachi, my brother, or I was pleased.

Itachi is most likely not happy because he probably had plans to spend his entire winter break from college with his boyfriend, Deidara Shukumei. I have met him enough times to where I can say: he's bat-shit insane. Whether you believe me or not is not my problem.

Why wasn't I happy? Simply because it was my father's idea. After discovering Itachi's homosexuality, he's began badgering _me_ about continuing the Uchiha line and putting down Itachi, who've I've always considered to be my idol. It doesn't help that I happen to be bisexual and leaning more towards men than women. Eventually, he guessed from my little interest in the women that he had invited over for me to choose from of my sexuality.

He has taken to throwing disapproving glares in both of our directions while mother has been receptive and encouraging. Itachi ignored them easily; I, however, often find my small amount of respect and patience for the man wearing thin with each snide remark and cold stare.

Despite our protests, we were forced to pack our bags and suitcases for enough clothes to last us at least a week. This morning, having eaten a lush breakfast to keep our hunger at bay until we arrived at our temporary lodgings, we all filed into our Corrella and began the six-hour journey from Oto to Konoha.

"Ignore him, Mikoto. That one never seems grateful of the things around him." The deep, rumbling voice of my father rattled my nerves the instant he opened his mouth. Clenching my teeth to keep the sarcastic response that was trying to force its way out of my mouth, I kept my glare focused on the winter wonderland outside.

I will admit to running away from home in the dead of night, but honestly, if my dad wasn't acting the way he was, I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't have to run away to find somewhere where I didn't have to pretend to be someone I'm not.

Breathing deep, silent breaths to calm myself, I chanced a look at my brother. He looked mostly like our mother, only with sharp cheekbones like our father and two, slanted birthmarks opposite to each other on his cheeks and nose. His clothing consisted of a black, silk long-sleeve shirt and slacks. His expression was of boredom and is eyes flicked casually between our parents and his own window. Suddenly, they flicked to me and he raised an eyebrow.

_Why are you letting him affect you so much, Otouto?_

I scowled at him and shifted in my seat.

_I'm not._

He snorted and leaned ever so casually on his hand, his elbow on the door. His eyes stared through me, knowing very well that I _was _letting father get to me. Itachi said nothing in that strange, silent language that consisted of casual body movements, preferring to coolly gaze at me. I held it for a few more moments before my face softened and I turned my head to look out my window once again.

_...I just don't know how to deal with him..._

Out of the corner of my left eye, I saw Itachi move his right leg under his left one and switching the target of his stare to father before back to me.

_...I'm sorry, Sasuke._

Before I could signal something to tell him it wasn't his fault, the car slowed into a stop of a parking lot. Glancing out the window, I could see the tall, yet modest structure of our home for the next week.

It looked to be six stories high, with many windows to let in plenty of sunlight. Its exterior was covered wood that was mostly associated with log houses and snow. Around the large building, evergreens grew along a path leading to the closed tennis court and to the woods behind the lodge. Snowdrops led the way to the grand entrance with luxurious double doors and grand windows on the sides of them. The parking lot itself smooth and clear of snow. It was filled with quite a few cars, a lot of them extravagant and others clearly lacking visually.

I felt someone nudge my shoulder. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Itachi gesture to his door before opening it and stepping out of the car. Sighing, I took off the seatbelt and did the same. As soon as I stepped out the car, I felt eyes on me. My eyes scanned the forest where I had felt the stare from.

Almost instantly, my eyes met with blue. My breath was caught; I had never seen anyone with such eyes before. They were vibrant and ever-changing, a contrast with the still and bland scenery. They pulled me in and I almost didn't want to come back up.

"...suke... Sasuke!" I blinked; the spell was broken. I slowly turned my head in the direction of my mother who was looking at me with a concerned face. Her arms were crossed over her breasts and she was tapping her left foot. Her outfit consisted of a tight and regal red dress with a black sweater to highlight the red. Black-heeled, knee-high boots and small, dangling earrings finished off her clothing. Behind her, my brother, carrying both mine and his luggage, stared with a blank face. Only his eyes showed his emotions, inquiry and slight worry only for me to see. Anyone else would just see themselves staring right back at them.

My father, a tall man, taller than both my mother and brother (who reached a six foot, two) glared disdainfully at me, a frown marred his rugged looking face. He wore an outfit similar to Itachi's, only with a black business coat and red tie. Beside him were the black suitcases that belonged to him and mother. All of us had black winter cloaks on. Any Christmas gifts we have gotten for each other before the trip would be sent to our penthouse suite the next day.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Her voice called, breaking me out of my reverie. I nodded, unsure what to tell them. Surely not about those eyes...

She seemed unconvinced, but nodded anyway. My father snorted before grabbing his and her luggage and walking towards the entrance, mother right beside and in step with him. Itachi sent me a look that told me he would demand more from me later before following after them. Inwardly, I groaned. That wouldn't be fun.

However...

I glanced back at the woods but saw nothing but tree bark and a few pine needles. The forest was silent. I narrowed my eyes, what was that?

Frowning, I hesitantly followed after the rest of my family to begin a vacation that seemed doomed from the start.

* * *

They were all noisy, humans, that is. However, the forest was noisy, too, especially during summer when everyone was awake. Everyone is hunting, gathering, or preparing in some way for the upcoming cold season.

The same routine every year.

A sigh.

When will it ever change? Will things ever break from such a schedule that Mother Nature herself has implanted in each and every one of them? Well... then again...

Was it not those very thoughts that allowed contact with humans? Small hum in thought. Shrug. Do not care much for it. It has occurred, nothing more to say or think about.

Slight boredom. Twitch of nose. Eyes widen and sudden alertness.

Strange sounds from those scary monsters. Must hide.

Run through snow, ignore the sting of the cold. Rustling of bushes, wincing from the lack of protection for soft flesh and fur. Feelings of safety and security. Home.

Strange noise stops and then restarts.

Voices. They sounded garbled - mixed up. They made no sense and how the humans could understand each other was unknown. Everyone in the forest had their own language, but they also had a language that they all spoke and understood.

The humans didn't. Wonder why?

Could speak a few words. Found them meaningless. Unimportant. No one else in the forest spoke them, what is the point?

Curiosity.

What did the newest arrivals look like?

More wincing, pushing back spiky branches. Consider biting them but decide against it. They taste bitter this time of year. Finally, can see through the foliage. Ignore that strange, huge cave, their kind is not welcome. Not anymore. Only humans are.

Wrinkle nose at the putrid odor of the monsters. Slight curiosity; must they be so smelly? Disregard. Adjustments of height and tilt.

Sharp intake of breath.

Onyx.

An oddity. Do not see that color often in a human's eye. Unable to look away. Inquiry. Want to know more about this person. Familiar. Seen before?

More voices; the spell is broken. Hide away back in the safety of the forest, listen to silence and more of that strange human language. Footsteps and odd sounds on unusually hard ground. Shuffling and more footsteps. The strange cave opens.

Peek above foliage. Humans are gone, the familiar one, too. Tilt of head. Excitement.

Was it...?

* * *

...Okay, I KNOW this wasn't REALLY published on the 20th, but I STARTED it on the 20th but the time was 11 pm, so give me a break!

Anyway, the last part was exceedingly hard to write! Yes, the way it was written was intentional... and difficult. Either way, I hope you have enjoyed this first chapter! :)

If you guys are wondering about updates on my other stories, know that Star-Lit Sky is likely to be updated in the upcoming week. I'm really THIS close to finishing up the new chapter. After that, hiatus for two weeks at the most so I can prepare the chapters of the next arc. The other stories are more likely to be updated in late January or early February.

Anyway, please review, follow, fav, do what you do~

Expect the next chapter tomorrow!

Happy Holidays! :)

**_~Kitsune-Ohime-Sama~_**

**PS:** I added to the last section. It had originally stopped after 'onyx'.

**PPS:** I changed the last section... AGAIN. T_T


	2. 12-21

**Pairings:**

SasuNaru/ Magnet Shipping

KakaIru/ Animal Control Shipping

ItaDei/ Black & White Shipping

FugaMiko/ Persona Shipping

Implied!NejiGaa/ Silent Shipping

Day two! Sorry guys, but I'm a rather slow writer. Writing and getting a chapter done in a single day is something I'm not used to. If I update, it's most likely going to be in the dead of night (in my time). xD

Also, I'd like to thank all of you who read the first chapter! The response really lifted my spirits into finishing this chapter before it became too late (though, it seems I work best under extreme pressure O_O)

I'd also like to thank my skype friends Enna (WHO NEEDS TO FREAKIN' UPLOAD SOMETHING) and Baily (who's birthday was about a week ago! :D) because they looked over my plot and helped to add things into it. ^^

I also revised the last section of chapter one. AGAIN. I keep changing it to make sure it makes sense with the rest of the story which has a plot I created up on the spot. ;3;

**Summary:**

Being forced to come with his family to the luxurious, Konoha Lodge for Christmas is not Sasuke's idea of spending the holidays. However, the legend of the fox child lulls him into the forest surrounding the lodge. Will he find what he's looking for there or will his vacation fall flat?

**Warnings:** AU, Language, Yaoi, a history lesson, and OOC moments (especially Iruka and Kakashi. I don't write them together enough to get a full grasp of their relationship so it's rather weird in this story xD).

Kakashi is a warning all on his own. (AKA, Perversion)

* * *

_December 21st_

_The Legend_

* * *

_"Sasuke, do you honestly expect for me to take you seriously? Eyes staring at you from the forest? Obviously, it was just some rabid animal."_ The drawling voice of my cousin crackled through my cell phone. I rolled my eyes at him, knowing full and well he couldn't see it. That was the point; if I actually did it in front of him, he'd probably get on me for acting human for once.

"It wasn't a rabid animal, Neji."

My best friend, Hyuuga Neji, scoffed before saying mockingly, _"And how would you know?"_

I was silent. How did I know?

I leaned back on my bed, my eyes staring at the ceiling. I was in my room in the penthouse suite, a small but comfortable sanctuary to retreat from family. The room had a dresser for clothing and full bathroom just for me to use. There was also a wooden desk with an antique lamp on it. The chair that went with the desk seemed rather old, but sturdy. The floors in the lodge are mostly wooden and are covered sparingly with expensive, faux fur rugs. My bed was queen sized with a red and golden bedspread, matching pillows and sheets.

_"Earth to idiot. Must I repeat myself? How. Would. You. Know? Don't tell me that the star student of the Otogakure School of the Elite is having issues comprehending such a simple question?"_

Have I ever mentioned that my so-called best friend is an ass? No? Well, let me say it.

Neji is an ass. You heard it from me first.

I opened my mouth to respond to his smart ass comment when my door opened and my brother's head peeked through, his long hair that was usually trapped in a low ponytail was free from its confines for once. "Sasuke...?"

I ended the call with Neji, ignoring his protests (revenge is a bitch, get used to it). "Yes, Itachi?"

He opened the door wider and leaned against it with his arms closed. He was still wearing his clothes from the car ride. "Mother wishes for us to have dinner with the rest of the guests of the lodge. Dress nice. A few of father's acquaintances from Oto will be there."

I narrowed my eyes at the last sentence. "...You're kidding me."

He closed his eyes, a frown marring his face. Itachi nodded confirming my suspicions. I felt my anger rise and my hands clench. It's bad enough being forced here on such short notice, but doing so that you can still make deals with clients and other companies? I always knew my father had little interest in what is known as 'family', but this is going too far.

Growling lowly, I turned away from my brother. "I'm not going." I heard him sigh.

"You don't have a choice." He said softly, his voice filled with remorse. I could barely recognize it through my anger, however. Honestly, I shouldn't expect nothing less from my father, but... this is my father, you know? Despite the fact I want to wish away the familial bond between us, he'll always be my father and therefor will always have some affect on my life. Some people deal with it better than others. Itachi and I are the same way, however I believe Itachi is able to do it because he had Deidara to go to when he didn't want to stay home anymore.

I had no one. I couldn't go to Neji's because he sneaks out to visit his boyfriend, Gaara, who lives across town. My other friends, Suigetsu, Karin, and Juugo were fine as friends. I never actually felt comfortable enough to tell them much of anything, Karin especially. One second, she's cold and cruel, then she turns into a psychotic fangirl. I wouldn't trust her with my life. Suigetsu had a rather aloof and sarcastic attitude and mostly did things if they were in his interest. Juugo is actually the one I truly consider a friend out of the three. He doesn't speak much, preferring to watch from the distance. He's also very polite and the peacemaker between Karin and Suigetsu.

"...Sasuke." Itachi said suddenly. I met his gaze, annoyance present on my face.

"I'll go, but only for mother." There was silence for a while before he sighed and nodded slowly. He stood straight and left, closing the door. I continued to stare at the closed door, hearing his footsteps fade away and my mother's cheerful voice along with Itachi's.

Alone once again, I sighed and looked at the closet where my suit was. I hate them with a passion...

* * *

The dinner was going as expected, boring as hell.

The dining hall was huge and as comfortable as the rest of the lodge seemed to be. Many dining tables that sat from two to eight were situated in an orderly fashion in the room. They were covered in white cloth and were accompanied by wooden chairs with green seats. Above the table in the middle of the room was a large, glass chandelier. Smaller versions of it were scattered across the ceiling. Large windows gave the room a lot of light and visual of the outside. Right now, the green curtains were closed over them.

In the lodge, there were about 30 guests, including my family of four. It was so few because the lodge was expensive and rather unknown since Konohagakure never saw fit to advertise itself.

As the room began to fill, more and more people came to our table (which was conveniently in the middle) and introduced themselves before striking a conversation with father. Mother had looked at him exasperatedly, reading practically all of the women in the room's mind.

_Are they REALLY talking business at a dinner with FAMILY!?_

Men were dressed mostly in fancy suits while the women wore beautiful dresses. There were no children, just a bunch of what seemed to be fifteen-year olds and up. Occasionally, a girl winked at me or slid up her dress. I had narrowed my eyes and glared at the last girl, some chick named Pino, that tried that trick.

Turning back to my family, I wasn't surprised to see my father making _another_ promise to consider a deal with some company. Mother was picking at the table cloth, looking straight but not really seeing. Her eyes were glossy.

As if sensing my gaze, she looked up and met my eyes. I tried to send her a comforting nod but all she did was smile a bit sadly before looking straight again. Inwardly sighing, I looked at my brother.

First thing I notice?

His hand is under the table.

Second thing I notice?

His hand is moving.

I raised an eyebrow at him, catching his attention. He smirked a little before pulling his hand out to show me what was in his hand. His phone. The screen was lit up with a long list of text messages between him and the other person who he had listed as 'Dei-chan'. I snorted and looked away, slightly impressed. A rustle of the cloth told me that he had slipped his phone under the table, only now I could actually hear the small vibrations of the phone as he pressed the letters of his message if I focused enough.

However, like I said, the dinner was boring... at least until some of the more... "interesting" guests arrived. The tell tale sign of their arrival was a furious:

"KAKASHI!"

Everyone's heads turned to the main entrance of the room where two people were... straddling each other on the polished wooden floor. The one on the ground was a seemingly gleeful man with gray hair. That's about as much as I can tell you since his eyes were closed (one was actually covered up by his hair) and the rest of his face was hidden by some sort of ski mask. The one on top was a tanned man with brown hair and eyes. From the distance, I could spy a scar on his nose. He also seemed to be the one yelling if the angered expression and the fact that he was currently choking the hell out of the man he was straddling was anything to go by.

The man on the floor -Kakashi?- however seemed okay with that. "Oh, Iruka-chan! The face you make when you're angry is absolutely adorable."

Did this man have no tact?

'Iruka' promptly slapped Kakashi clear across the face before standing up and making his way to an empty two-seater table not too far from us. Kakashi stood up slowly, crocodile tears mockingly pouring out of his one visual eye as he joined Iruka at the table where they instantly began to bicker casually with each other, ignoring the heated whispering following their entrance.

Idly, I wondered, what kind relationship did they have? It must be close if this Kakashi guy let Iruka get away with slapping him. I shifted a little, tilting my head to hear their conversation better.

"Damn it, stop being perverted, we're in public!"

"When has that ever stopped me, Dolphin-chan?"

"... You have to got to be the most perverted man on the planet."

"Thank you~"

"I would strangle you if I could."

"You love me too much for that."

"You wish I loved you."

"Why wish when I already know~?"

"Bite me."

"-gasp- Invitation~?!"

"NO. Sit back down!"

"Aw... meanie, Dolphin-chan..."

...

I will not comment on what I just heard. I will not comment on what I just heard. I will not comment on what I just heard... what the fuck did I just _hear_?

However embarrassing the conversation between them was, I was lucky to escape from it with nothing more than a scarred mind and slightly heated cheeks. I looked back at my family to see that another man had joined our table. Actually... two.

One was ridiculously pale with long black hair. His eyes were a venomous yellow and had purple marks around them pointing down to his mouth. The other had choppy, silver hair and dark brown eyes hidden away with glasses that flashed ominously. They wore the same suit as every other men in the room, but they gave off a different aura, a dangerous one. My father, however, didn't seem to care as he continued talking with them. Mother also seemed interested in what they had to say. Itachi watched them carefully, most likely getting the same vibes that I was.

"So... you came here to buy the land the forest occupies, Orochimaru-san?" My father said, sounding bored. However, I could tell from the way that he was holding his wine glass that he was hanging on desperately to every word said.

The one with black hair, who I'll assume is Orochimaru, chuckled and nodded. "Yes, that is true. However, the people of Konohagakure are quite stubborn on the deal when it is obvious they can't pay for its upkeep."

Father blinked before saying, "Why do they want to keep the land? They don't use it for anything except to take up space."

The silver-haired man smirked softly and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "We had asked them that very question with the same reasoning. They responded with superstition."

Outwardly, my expression remained the same. Inwardly, however, I felt myself perk up with interest. Superstition? This place had a background? My father, however, looked less than impressed. "Superstition? Is that their only reason?"

"Actually, it's more of a legend than superstition. They called it the 'Legend of the Half Moon'." I mulled the name over and over in my head. I don't recall hearing of anything like that so it must be something native only to Konohagakure. My mother seemed fascinated with it, however, as she requested to hear the legend, ignoring my father's pointed stare. I guess it's her version of payback. Orochimaru and the other man looked vastly amused, but agreed to share the story, anyway.

The silver-haired one was the one to tell it. "It starts back when most of the land was still ruled by emperors and empresses. Konoha had just been founded and people were worried about the night for it was as dark as the deepest abyss and brought a strange chill that could be associated with death. Not even fire could get rid of the frightening darkness. As the days slowly turned to harvesting season, farmers had to work long into the day and night to collect all their crops, but the people were too scared to do so. As such, what should've been fulfilled the night before had to be done the next day, making what they had to do that day delayed to the next. However, not all of it was done.

"Soon, winter came and more than half of the remaining harvest died in the freezing frost, leaving the villagers with little food that they would have to share with each other. Many died from the cold and hunger that season. The next year's harvest garnered the same results. So did the next year, and the next. For five years, it had been like this and very few people were left. They were about to give up on Konohagakure. One day, a fox with tails that counted to nine and fur a bright yellow like the sun, appeared in the village, walking around but not bothering any of the inhabitants. The remaining villagers were hesitant on letting such a creature near them, but found it not worth it and continued with collecting as much of the harvest as possible.

"As dusk approached, the villagers noticed the most peculiar thing; the fox's fur had started glow like the sun and radiate a warmth that chased away the darkness and cold. The farmers found that they could continue working for as long as the fox stayed near, which it did, finding their movements and quick running entertaining. Soon, the moon was high in the sky and the farmers called it a day, having collected more than usual and were happy about it. In thanks of the fox's help, they gave it some spare meat and invited it inside this very building which they all shared since their wasn't many of them left.

"It soon became routine; the farmers worked hard in their fields and when the night approached, the fox would start glowing brightly and warm the cold bodies of the villagers. After the needed work was properly done, they would all come back into this building, welcoming the fox in their home as they did. They fed it for a job well done and let it have a place to sleep. This continued for years and years and the village of Konoha soon became prosperous with over 200 inhabitants and plenty of work to be done by all.

"200 years after Konoha's founding, the current emperor decided to pay a visit to the mountainous village. He had studied the village's history, but could not find a reason as to why the village was suddenly so flourishing when it had been struggling so much. The reason why was because all villagers and visitors had to take a solemn oath to not tell of the fox, who appeared to be immortal. They worshiped the creature with many offerings and invitations to stay in their individual homes. Since they were under oath, the news of the enchanted fox was not told to the emperor or written in history records at the time.

"The emperor visited the growing village with a plan of staying for five days, his entrance being greeted with many offerings and courteous welcome from the inhabitants. He was invited to stay in the leader's home, in which he watched his subjects collect harvest for the winter season. As the night approached, the fox, who had been watching everything from a short distance away, slowly moved towards the fields, its coat brightening as it did. The emperor watched, mystified by the fox as it performed a job it had dedicated about 200 years of its life for. When everything was done, the leader led the fox into his house, having forgotten his emperor's presence. The second the creature stepped in the building, it was restrained by a guard under the command of the emperor.

"He believed that such an animal should belong to him in the capital. He ignored all protests by the leader or any villager who tried to persuade him to see it their way. Instead, he announced that he would be leaving for the capital early the next morning with his new pet. The fox was then forced into a cage and put outside in the village square, next to the emperor's carriage. The youngest child of the leader, who was very attached to the fox, was furious with the announcement. He snuck out his home to visit the fox with a sharp knife. Under the light of the half moon, he managed to break the bars confining the fox, but also alerted the emperor's guards of the fox's escape. He grabbed the fox and ran towards the forest, throwing it in and running back to his home. When morning came, the emperor was severely angered at the audacity by the child's act.

"He attempted to recapture the fox by waiting for the fox's arrival at dusk, but it didn't appear. However, the moon above them seemed to shine brighter, giving them enough light to work. The chill of the night didn't seem to present, and they weren't shaking with frost bite by the time they returned home, but the fox had made no appearance. The next night, it was the same. No sign of the fox. The emperor then forced the leader of the village to allow him to stay in his house until the night of the new moon, when there wasn't a moon to light up the night. The fox had to make an appearance then... and it did, but not like before.

"It came in the appearance of a male human with its nine tails and fox ears, skin radiating a bright glow and bringing a comforting warmth to all those it passed by. Instead of making his way through the fields and shedding its light there, he continued all the way to the leader of the village's house. Behind him, the inhabitants of the village had followed, awestruck at their deity's appearance. The fox demanded the emperor to come before him. With much reluctance, the emperor did as so and bowed deeply before the fox. Right then and there, the fox demanded that the emperor was to never set foot in Konohagakure or the forest surrounding it ever again and that he was to leave immediately or else. Not wanting to face the consequences, the emperor did so, lifting an air of tension and anger in the village and replacing it with joyous celebration. The fox fully interacted with the people it provided for that night and when all work and play was done, he waved them a farewell before disappearing into the forest. Ever since then, it was never seen again."

The man took a sip of water, most likely needing it after telling such a lengthy story. The sound of the glass broke the spell of wonder in the room, for it was completely silent, the attention of everyone was completely focused on the silver-haired man. When he had stopped, the room instantly exploded into loud talking and debate on the story. I let out a deep breath, feeling my tense muscles relax. Just how much time has passed since he began?

"However..." Everything instantly went quiet again. "The people of this village never stopped worshiping the fox. None of them venture into the forest, believing it to be the fox's sacred ground and therefor, should not be disturbed. Every half moon, in celebration of the leader's youngest son's bravery in freeing their deity, they would light lanterns all over the farm fields, but they wouldn't work them. Instead, they spent the time conversing and getting to know each other in respect of the following new moon in which the villagers spent the night celebrating the emperor's departure. Just before the lanterns were blown out and they went home, the leader would come forth and place a food offering before the entrance of the forest. The next day, the offering would always be gone, encouraging the belief that their deity had accepted their offering and was pleased with them. They have continued this tradition for every half moon from then to now, and they will be doing a special one this week since the half moon falls on Christmas."

The man closed his eyes and sighed. "Such a lengthy story..."

Once again, the room was filled with voices and clinking of silverware. I watched Orochimaru pat the back of the one who told the legend who just nodded respectfully to him and began eating his own food. I looked down in front of me to see a bowl full of soup placed in front of me.

Idly wondering when exactly it had gotten there, I began eating, savoring the food. As I did, I discreetly looked around the room. Mother and father were discussing the legend with Orochimaru who had nodded when my father said that the legend was a poor excuse to not sell the land. Itachi looked to be listening intently to their conversation, but the blank look in his eye and the hand under the table told otherwise.

Looking away from our table, I could see many of the guests talking excitedly with one another. The only ones who weren't were the couple from before, Iruka and Kakashi.

Actually... they looked sort of angry...

* * *

Watch the lights of strange cave go out. Emptiness...

Sadness. Remorse. Want to visit again, but humans not like before. They are not kind anymore. They are more interested in themselves than any one else.

All except...

More sadness. Wetness around eyes. Wipe them away! Do not show weakness, has not helped thus far.

Slumping of shoulders. Miss people. Want to be there when they pay respects. Want to show them. Still there. Always watching over them. Make it warm and make it bright. They happy, be happy...

Can not. Not this time. This part of the forest had called. Needed help. Had to help. This was home.

... His home...

Look past the withered branches to the strange cave. Always found it to be a welcoming haven. Never expected to be invited in that first time. So much happiness and the smiles from humans made happy...

Sigh. Shaking of head.

Memories that should not be thought of. Will not be thought of.

Back away from the darkened cave. Go deeper in forest. Can see, have light. Trudge through snow. What was-?

A yelp. Pain. Red. Whimpering.

Look at left leg. See something silver clasped on it. Move a little and freeze. Too much pain. Can not focus.

Transformation.

Move smaller left hind leg. More yelps. More pain. No use. Can not move any farther. Can not call for help. Everyone is asleep.

White is stained with red.

What will do now?

* * *

AUGH. 11:47 PM?! I'm extremely lucky it wasn't 11:55...

Anyway, it's true. At least for where I am. We'll have a half moon on Christmas night, so I thought, why not tie into the story?

Also. Last section. AUGH. AUGH. AUGH. AUUUUUGGGGH.

It is painfully hard to write it without any proper pronouns or actually describing what's going on directly. Seriously, if you want to try writing in that style, good luck! I can't seem to get it down the first few times...

Anyway, thanks for reading! Aren't you happy this is longer than the last? Well... considering that in between ever two sentences that I kept watching episodes of Junjou Romantica and Sekaiichi Hatsukoi (both by the same artist :D), you guys should be happy that it's somehow IS longer. xD

Next chapter might not be, it'll most likely be chapter one's size or around there.

So, yeah. Fav, follow, review, do what you do. :)

Happy Holidays, and remember! This updated tomorrow... ish. (Most likely in the middle of the night... again...)

_**~Kitsune-Ohime-Sama~**_


	3. 12-22

**Pairings:**

SasuNaru/ Magnet Shipping

KakaIru/ Animal Control Shipping

ItaDei/ Black & White Shipping

FugaMiko/ Persona Shipping

Implied!NejiGaa/ Silent Shipping

Ah~ I love the response this story is getting. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right. Thanks guys! :)

So... for this chapter... it was written with me watching the second season of Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi for... uh... O.O ...research...?

However, at 9:19ish something horrible struck! A FUCKING AD. When I went to 'x' it out, I x'ed out FFN instead, which was where I was working on this chapter! A large section of the chapter had to be re-written after I got over my emo moment. About 2000 words to be exact. Dx

I don't mean to sound whiny guys, but that seriously hurts... I hate losing any of my work at random times, especially when I'm on a deadline...

It's happened before, I can't tell just how many hours I spent in a corner, just whispering to myself... o-o"

Er... anyway, I'm considering a sixth chapter that has a lemon. Do you guys want it or do you want me to keep the story clean?

**Summary:**

Being forced to come with his family to the luxurious, Konoha Lodge for Christmas is not Sasuke's idea of spending the holidays. However, the legend of the fox child lulls him into the forest surrounding the lodge. Will he find what he's looking for there or will his vacation fall flat?

**Warnings:** AU, Language, Yaoi, and OOC moments.

Kakashi is a warning all on his own. (AKA, Perversion)

* * *

_December 22nd_

_Meeting_

* * *

_It was in the dead of night, cold and of no light. The darkness seemed to be suffocating me, it was unnatural. Shivers ran down my spine from the chill._

_Every bit of me was screaming to turn back, but I couldn't. I had a job to do and I will do it!_

_My bare feet slid across the coarse ground, my hands were positioned in front of me, my only guides to the square. My left foot stepped on something that made a crunch, and almost instantly I could see a bright light. It lit up the square with a dazzling blaze of yellow and orange. Just seeing those colors made my body warm up. A smile plastered itself on my face._

_He's there. He's waiting for me._

* * *

I was suddenly jostled awake when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My eyes opened slowly, taking in the darkness of my room. I felt myself tense slightly, my dream still in mind.

"Ne? Sasuke?" I felt myself relax at the sound of Itachi's voice. Turning over in my bed, I looked at him. He was standing above me, already dressed in a casual outfit of jeans and black shirt under a red plaid short-sleeve jacket. Father must not be around if he's wearing something like that.

"Yes, Itachi?" I said, pulling myself into a sitting position. He sat down on the bed, not looking at me.

"... What were you dreaming about?" I inwardly raised an eyebrow at the question. He's never asked me something so ridiculous.

"Since when have you ever cared what I'm dreaming about?" I mocked. He was silent for a while before closing his eyes.

"You're right. I honestly don't give a fuck." He reopened them and looked at me. I didn't meet his eyes, focusing more on the window next to my bed. It gave a good view of the forest. The entrance to it looked dark and lonely, yet somehow enticing me to go in. "I'm actually more surprised you haven't tried to explore the woods yet. I thought you would've been outside last night, sketching the entrance if not everything inside."

Hearing that forced me to look at him. It's true, I do sketch, more so scenery than people. Nature is so much more peaceful... less complicated.

I held his gaze for a few moments before dropping it and closing my eyes. "I was too tired from last night."

He kept staring at me before nodding, as if satisfied from my answer. He leaned back, relaxing on my bed. "... What do you make of Orochimaru and Kabuto?"

Kabuto? So that's his name. I narrowed my eyes a little at the question. They felt... off. When the entrees had taken away and desert was being served, Orochimaru had kept trying to catch my eye. The few times he did it made my hair stand on end.

"... They're not to be trusted." I blurted out. As soon as I did, Itachi looked surprised before relaxing again.

"So... you felt it, too?" Huh? Itachi felt that odd atmosphere, as well? He stood up, garnering my attention. I watched him walk towards my door and open it. Before he left, he turned his head back to me and said, "Whatever reason they're here for... I don't think it's just for rights to own the land." Then, he left, softly closing the door behind him. I continued to stare at the door even after he left.

Not just for the land...? Isn't that supposed to mean the land Konoha's villagers believe is the sacred grounds for that fox deity of theirs? I sighed. Such an obvious fairy tale. While mildly interesting, I can't truly believe it. Nor can I believe that they still worship the fox.

I pulled the covers off of me. Itachi was right, I probably would've sketched the entire forest last night if I wasn't so weighed down by that legend. Now that it's not so fresh in my mind, I think I might as well do it today. I smirked a little at that thought.

I had always liked drawing. Being able to bring something to life through pencil and paper is an amazing thing. My mother had always loved the pictures I drew, demanding that there be a gallery in our mansion reserved just for them. Father had reluctantly agreed and it was built. Almost immediately, it was filled with drawings that I occasionally switched out with newer better ones.

I'm always going for different themes. The current theme right now is 'Lost in School' which has my friends just sitting around the school, either looking lost or losing something important when it's obviously right there. I think I can replace that with whatever I decide to draw during this vacation. I'm sure mother would love that.

* * *

"I'm leaving."

"Oh? It's not even 11... oh well, enjoy yourself Sasuke! Bye!"

"Bye."

After dressing in some warm clothes (a pair of jeans, a black sweater, black boots, a coat and a blue scarf), and eating breakfast, I had told my mother I was leaving. She looked a little surprise, but otherwise took it in stride. Pencil and sketchbook in hand, I took my time walking down the hall. As I was passing a room, a woman with pink-hair and a trolley for cleaning supplies came out and nearly hit me.

I moved out of the way and bowed my head. "Sorry for getting in your way."

She looked a little flustered, trying to look over her shoulder to see me, showing that she had pretty green eyes. When she did, she gave a little laugh and fully turned to face me. She was wearing plain, pale green scrubs and black sneakers. On her left breast was a nametag with the name 'Sakura' scrawled on it in fancy handwriting. Overall, she was pretty, if she ditched the clothing. 'Sakura' bowed lowly before saying with a smile. "Oh, no! It's fine. It's _me_ who should be watching where I'm going."

She turned around again and resumed pulling the trolley out of the room. I stood behind Sakura, silent for a while.

"... Do you... believe in the legend? About the fox?" She froze. A second or two later, she relaxed and swiveled her head sideways to look at me. I had expected for her eyes to look at me with distrust or disbelief but instead they were warm and had a strange gleam in them.

"I do. I'm a Konohagakure native. I moved here to help raise money." Well, that explained her reaction. However, what does she mean by moved here? Isn't this also part of Konoha? There's also that part of raising money. I asked her this, then apologized again, thinking I was intruding on her personal business. Instead she laughed before explaining it to me.

"We no longer consider this part of Konoha because the people who run this lodge aren't of the descent of the original people. They come from a city far from here and had no respect for the forest. They demanded that we sell them this land and when we did-" She gestured to the tennis court that was outside a nearby window as well as a swimming pool and a gift shop that seemed to be just now opening. "-they tore down a part of the forest and then had built those up." Her eyes narrowed.

"Konohagakure is known to be old-fashioned, most of us find little need to upgrade to modern times when we're doing just fine the way we are. Don't get me wrong, we adapt to the times, just more slowly because our way seems better than everyone else. Unlike big cities like Otogakure, we don't have much pollution or littering. Electricity is risky to use up here in the mountains and wilderness so we only use it for important buildings like hospitals and schools. Farming has always been a big part of our community due to the fox and we know ways of getting rid of insects without depending solely on pesticide. To have all these changes practically thrust upon us with no permission... well, you can tell it didn't end well.

Sakura's eyes softened and she looked back at me. "And now... Orochimaru wants what we have left. We don't pay for the 'upkeep' of the forest because none of our leaders believe the land should really be owned by mortals. However, since we don't pay for it, we have all these debts on it that need to be paid back. A bunch of us had scattered to nearby cities for jobs so that whatever we earn can be sent back to pay off those debts. Hopefully, we'll be able to pay them all off before it's too late."

I was speechless. Could people really feel that much... for something that might not even exist? I mean, they set a really good example if what Sakura is saying is true, but it sounds like they're doing it all in respect of the fox who supposedly lives in the forest.

Either way, I guess you can consider it... foolish, yet admirable.

"Hey." Broken out of my thoughts, I turned to face her. She was looking over her shoulder, eyes alight with a strange gleam. They flickered from the sketchbook in my hand then back to me. "Normally, I would tell you not to go in the forest. We have always considered it as trespassing on sacred grounds, even more when Orochimaru arrived. "She smiled at me. "However, I think you're an exception. Go on in. If any one who claims to be of Konoha tells you otherwise just tell them I said you could go in. I'm the assistant of the current leader of our village so my say has a lot of weight. I'll even go ahead and tell those I know are here right now to let you pass."

With that, she face forward once again and walked away, leaving me to stare after her.

* * *

When I had made my way to the forest, no one had stopped me. I had gotten a few skeptical stares, but no one tried to block my path to the forest or stop me from going in. Sakura must've lived up to what she said. In a way, I was glad she did. I don't particularly feel like picking fights with idiots at the moment.

The woods were still and silent. The only sounds I could hear was my boots as I trudged through the snow, taking in the frozen sight with silent awe. When the world leaves the bustle and hype of summer and autumn behind... tranquility and silence become your friend in winter. In these frozen times, they craft a world so much different than what we normally see.

Everything seems to be... lifeless, even though you know that's not true. Everything looks plain because they're all covered with white snow, but somehow snow and ice makes things look more beautiful, more enchanting...

Magical.

I was probably about three miles away from the lodge when I heard it. I was leaning against a tree, sketching a few bushes and trees when I heard a groan. I froze, not even moving my pencil. After a moment of silence, I reluctantly decided it was nothing and started to move my pencil again.

"Ngh..." I jumped from my spot and looked around wildly. I wasn't hearing things!

"Hello! Is anyone there?"

"... he... help..." I could barely hear it, but I faced a the direction of the sound. There! It was coming from there. I quickly trudged through the snow, making my steps loud and deliberate in hopes the that whatever I'm hearing can tell I'm coming to them.

"...here... here..." The same voice weakly called out to me. They were sounded as if they were just up ahead.

"I'm almost there!" I called. Then, I looked up at the sky. Shit. It was snowing again.

"...he...re..." They called out again, even weaker than before. Worry gripped me in its icy hands; had they succumbed to the cold? I was surrounded by thick trees, their branches so tangled that they blocked out the sky, making it even colder. I scanned the area when my eyes focused on something. Taking a step forward, I felt my eyes widen when I saw it.

Red. Blood, so much of it. All over this person who was half-covered in snow. Forcing myself to get over my shock, I raced towards the person and that's when I saw it.

It was on their left leg, right at the ankle, it's metal teeth had sunken deep into the skin and muscle, possible even the bone. Blood was splattered all over the person, their clothing, and the snow. A hunter's trap. A foothold to be more specific.

Acting quickly, I tore off the blue plaid scarf I had decided to wear. I would need it to increase the pressure on their leg so they wouldn't bleed to death once I took the trap off their injured leg. Reaching over to it, I pressed a mechanism that make it release their leg and threw it to the side. I can only feel nothing but dislike and hate for such a contraption. After it was off, I wrapped the scarf tightly around their leg. All of a sudden, my gloved hand brushed against something.

I pulled it back out of reflex. Looking over it to make sure it was okay, I looked back at the person. For about the twentieth time this entire vacation, I felt myself be shocked.

My hand... it had just brushed up against one of multiple yellow, bloodstained fox tails.

I stared at them, unsure on how to proceed. It's not every day you see someone with nine _fox tails_. Groaning, I closed my eyes.

When I reopened them, I shoved down my pride and a blushed before I stretched my hand to grab the rim of the person's clothing (a rather long robe that started as a reddish-orange at the bottom then faded to peach at the top and had a hood. There was also a black vest over the torso) and pulled up to the middle of his backside. The nine tails... were sprouting from his body, his tailbone to be exact.

...

And he was also not wearing underwear...

Looking away, I pulled the robe back down. As soon as it was done, I sighed, putting my face in my hands. My cheeks were warm despite the cold.

Did I really just do that?

Trying to ignore that memory, I resumed tying the scarf back up. I narrowed my eyes at seeing dark spots in the scarf; it was already seeping through. I looked around; what was I going to do? I couldn't just leave him here, from the look of his bare feet, he was starting to get frost bite.

I looked at his face. It was unnaturally pale. The made the strange whisker-like marks, three on each cheek, stand out more. He had shaggy blond hair with reddish-orange tips and fox ears that were limp and cold to touch. His lips were tinted purple, a bad sign. He must be freezing. I guess when he doesn't activate it himself, he can't make himself warmer like he seems to do in the legend.

Swiping the snow off of his body and picking him up bridal style, I felt myself give when I saw that he didn't respond to any of my touches. I leaned my head down on his chest for a moment before breathing a sigh of relief. I could hear a beat, though it was really soft. I would have to hurry and get him to the hotel and in my room now.

With a hardened resolve, I ran back through the way I had came. I can only hope that mother and Itachi have decided to leave the suite for the moment.

* * *

_Sasuke, _

_Fugaku and I have decided to go out for the night. _

_Itachi had said he was going to take a walk around the premises and maybe walk up to central Konoha._

_If you get hungry, just call room service. I think they're serving a fish for dinner._

_Love you!_

_-Mother_

There is a god and he loves Uchiha Sasuke.

How I had managed to get up here without people noticing the unconscious person in my arms is amazing. Or... I looked at a nearby clock, it read 5:43 in the afternoon. Most of the guests would probably be out touring and the employees would be in their break rooms or preparing dinner. I was almost caught thought, by Orochimaru and Kabuto. I had hidden myself behind the doors of a nearby stairwell as they walked passed, talking about something I had no care listening to.

At least until...

**_"Lord Orochimaru, I had went into the forest an hour ago and I found his nesting grounds again."_**

**_"Oh? Did you find him?"_**

**_"No, but the trap was used and there was blood and his fur all over the snow. If he had somehow gotten himself out, I would've found him somewhere nearby. That means someone else had helped him. "_**

**_"-hiss-. Damn those villagers. I thought they were too superstitious in these times to even dare enter the forest."_**

**_"...No, my Lord. It wasn't the villagers. I had checked to make sure they were all still here when I sneaked into the woods. However, I had found a sketchbook near the blood."_**

**_"Oh? Sketchbook?"_**

I had cursed myself about a thousand times when I heard that. I had better hope I was using one of newer sketch books, I had a habit of not putting down my signature until I was done sketching for the day. If it was one of my old ones, they would surely find my name and ask about it at tomorrow's dinner (my mother had told me that she thinks we should go again). I strained my ears to hear anything else, but they had already moved on.

Sighing, I looked down at the deity in my arms. He was still unconscious and not moving. His lips were still blue. I need to get him warmed up - fast.

I ran to my room, opening the door and practically slamming it closed. I placed him on the bed before walking to the desk where a control for the heated sheet on the bed and turned it up to setting five. Once that was done, I foolishly stared at him before back at his wound. I couldn't put him in the bed when he was clearly going to bleed through it. It needed proper bandaging.

I practically ran to the bathroom and turned on the bath to warm. I went back to the bedroom and staring at his motionless body. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, steeling my nerves, before I proceeded to strip him of his clothing and toss it in the dirty clothes. I could feel my cheeks warm up again as I picked him up again and walked back into the bathroom. God, this was so weird, even more so since he's unconscious. As I settled him on the edge of the tub, I turned off the water. The washing garnered nothing from the fox, he just leaned against me, limp, through it all. That worried me. Shouldn't he be moving at least a little now?

After the bath, I covered him with two towels, one for his body and one for his leg. Taking the first aid kit from underneath the sink, I began to bandage his wound. It would have to until I found someone to properly sew it back up. By the time I was done, it seemed to have stopped bleeding. Though, it would have to be changed periodically. I picked him up again and placed him back on my bed.

First order of business?

Get him some damn underwear.

About three minutes of searching through my clothes for one that could fit him (he was actually smaller than me by at least two sizes), I found a plain white one that could fit. Now came the hard part...

I felt my eye twitch. Just because I'm bisexual doesn't mean I don't understand an awkward situation. This is really an awkward situation. I chanced a look at him which turned into a dark glare; it's partly his fault for getting his sorry ass hurt in that trap.

I held that glare for a few more moments before I felt my fake anger dissipate into faint annoyance. It wasn't really his fault. If that place was really his 'nesting grounds' and supposedly no one has entered the forest in a long time, I guess he must've found it safe to move casually through it.

Sighing, I took the underwear and began the really awkward procedure of putting it on. Then, I ran into another problem. Actually, nine. His tails won't fit.

I sighed again before going back to the bathroom and grabbing the scissors from the first-air kit. I turned the fox over so I could cut a hole big enough for his tails. I resumed the process of putting the underwear on, ignoring the fact that my face must've been red by now. Once that was done, I began to strip down to my underwear.

I had hoped he would respond to everything else by now, but I guess he needs body warmth. I began to pull the covers back until there was one sheet separating us from the heated sheet. I gently pushed him to the other side before sliding in myself and pulling the covers over us. I grabbed his arm and forced his body against mine, ignoring the rising heat in my cheeks.

Just... why had I bothered to save him?

Because he needed help? No, I usually need more reason than that to go this far with helping someone. I could've handed him off to the villagers, but for some reason, I felt as if I couldn't. Like it was my responsibility to take care of him.

... I never blushed this much in my life, either.

What exactly... is it about him that seems to bring out this side of me?

* * *

...

...

Warmth...

All around. Not like clothing. Different. Smooth.

... Moving.

...

Don't want to move. Pain in leg. Not as much as before, but still hurt. Healing has not kicked in, wonder why? Wonder. Groggy. Sleepy.

Must... rest...

Nose twitches. What? What is that smell? It is... familiar?

Open eyes. See that human. The familiar one. Why so familiar? Thinking. Pounding of head.

Headache. Do not want...

Close eyes a little, look over features.

Alertness.

"Esuka!?"

* * *

11:39! Maybe by the 25th, I'll have chapters out an hour earlier? :,D

Well, technically, it's not my fault completely. Since that earlier mess up where most of this wiped away, I had to have a moment of silence...

Anyway, if you guys need me, I'm going to be watching Junjou Romantica...

So, yeah. Fav, review, follow, do what you do~

Happy Holidays! :)

_**~Kitsune-Ohime-Sama~ **_


	4. 12-23

**Pairings:**

SasuNaru/ Magnet Shipping

KakaIru/ Animal Control Shipping

ItaDei/ Black & White Shipping

FugaMiko/ Persona Shipping

Implied!NejiGaa/ Silent Shipping

4 reviews, 10 favs, 14 follows, and over 450 hits~

Much more than I expected but very welcome indeed! You guys might be wondering what my work schedule is. Well...

8-9 AM to 10-11 AM: Wake up/ Watch a couple episodes of either Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi/Junjou Romantica

10-11 AM to 11 PM: Work on the next chapter for this story (I write so damn slow...)/ Watch episodes of the above

12 AM to 2 AM: Watch more episodes (I had actually finished both today... but I want to watch them again xD)

2 AM to 8-9 AM: SLEEP.

Repeat the next day.

... Uh... anyway, I'm considering a sixth chapter that has a lemon. Do you guys want it or do you want me to keep the story clean?

Also, if anyone is wondering about who exactly is 'dominant', it's Sasuke. It might not look like that, but Sasuke is sort of confused at the moment on what exactly is going on while Naruto seemingly holds all the cards.

IT HAD STRUCK AGAIN. I LOST EVEN MORE PROGRESS. DX

Because I don't have the time to re-write over five hours of writing, I'll postphone what I actually wanted to write to tomorrow... I don't really have the strength to do it all over again...

The entire dinner scene is an unworthy replacement for what I had previously written. What could've been a well-over 5000 word chapter turned into less than 3000... T_T

**Summary:**

Being forced to come with his family to the luxurious, Konoha Lodge for Christmas is not Sasuke's idea of spending the holidays. However, the legend of the fox child lulls him into the forest surrounding the lodge. Will he find what he's looking for there or will his vacation fall flat?

**Warnings:** AU, Language, Yaoi, and OOC moments.

Kakashi is a warning all on his own. (AKA, Perversion)

* * *

_December 23rd_

_Hatred_

* * *

"Esuka!?" If the sudden shout wouldn't have woken me up, the tackle that accompanied it did. I opened my eyes, surprised at the sudden movement. All I could see was yellow, but I could feel something being pressed against my torso and neck.

"Ah, what?" I asked, confused. The yellow faded form my sight to be replaced by blue. My body instantly tensed, it was the same blue that had caught my eye the first day I had arrived. Their owner had a soft smile on his face, which looked healthier than it was last night, as he raised his hand to caress my cheek.

... what.

"Esuka." He said again, that same smile on his face, before raising his head to rest it on my shoulder. My body was still tense and I'm sure my cheeks were tinged pink. My eye slowly moved to look at him and I held up my hand to push him away, but froze when he continued talking. "Esuka... right here. Gone away, come back now. Waited so long."

He pulled himself out of the embrace he had forced me into and looked at me, puzzlement and hurt in his eyes. I don't know why it was considering I have no idea what he's talking about! In fact, it was hard to understand him. His speech is choppy and he has a few moments of silence between sentences, as if unsure if what he's about to say next are actually what he's trying to convey.

"Why take so long?" I couldn't help but stare at him as his smile withered into a frown, pain marring his features. I guess now was as good as time as any to try and clear up this 'Esuka' mess (who the hell is that anyway?).

"I..." As soon I started talking, he turned back to me, full on smile and eyes filled with happiness. Just what is going on with this guy? I thought as blushed again. And why is he so happy for? Doesn't he realize he could've died (could he? He is immortal, is he not?)? I swallowed hard, feeling a bit anxious because of the way he was looking at me.

"I don't know... what you're talking about. Who's Esuka?" He looked at me confused and made a strange noise at the back of his throat.

"...?" He pointed at me and said, "Esuka. Remember, Naruto? Been long time, still should know..." He trailed, seemingly getting more nervous and confused the more he stared at me. Suddenly, his eyes got steely and his face got red.

"Do not play! Esuka here! Smell you, same! See you, same! Act you, same! Esuka!" He shouted, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself more than me. When he stopped, he had fastened a glare that shocked me with its intensity. His ears were pressed against the sides of his head, occasionally flicking in directions of sounds from all over the suite.

I couldn't say anything for a while; what could I say? If his speech was anything to go by, he probably wouldn't understand most of the words I'd use to explain why I'm not this 'Esuka' person.

"..." I blinked, torn away from my thoughts to look at him. His eyes were now shielded by his hair, his ears were alert. I could see his lips quiver slightly, is he going to cry? Awkwardness and regret washed over me like a giant tidal wave. Normally, when someone looks like they're about to cry, it's some girl who had just 'confessed' their 'love' for me. I would only scoff and walk away, leaving them with tears in their eyes. This guy however... I slowly raised a hand to his face, noticing that he knelt forward, as if in need of my touch.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Sasuke! What is going on in there?" The irate voice of my father followed the loud banging (don't even think of convincing me that he's knocking) on my door. Almost instantly, the man jumped and scrambled into my arms, growling lowly as he glared at the door. His tails were wagging slowly.

As much I as I hate my father, I'm not exactly fond of the idea of him being killed which seems to be what the fox was ready to do if not calmed down right away.

I stood, holding the man and petting his hair. He relaxed slightly and snuggled deeper into my arms while keeping an eye on the door. I'd like to say he was heavy, but he really wasn't. In fact, he seemed to be the weight of the average five-year-old.

"Nothing, father. I just woke up." I called out, walking over to the bathroom and placing the man on the floor. He immediately started to struggle and pull me closer to him, whining all the way. With clenched teeth, I tried to pry off his surprisingly strong hold on my shoulders. Absently, I could hear the bathroom door close behind us, leaving no light except for the crack at the bottom of the door.

"Did you bring in a whore while we were gone?! Sasuke!" Eye twitching, I prepared my response when I heard Itachi say,

"Calm down, father. Sasuke is not like that." Itachi, I love you and I'm proud to be your little brother.

"Besides, he probably dreamed of something unfitting of his age. It's normal, father." Itachi, I hate you and I hope you die a horrible death.

"Be silent! If it wasn't for this vacation, you'd probably be with that blond slut of yours instead of being here with family!" The air was immediately filled with a heavy tension, it slipped from outside my door into my room. The man began to look around frantically and lean closer to me as if he wanted me to protect him. I guess I can't blame him, I thought, wrapping my arms around his body. He instantly relaxed and puled himself into me lap (WHAT.).

Itachi is pretty scary when he's mad or feels that he has dealt with enough bullshit...

"... Deidara is not a slut. He is my fiance." My eyes widened. I didn't know my brother and Deidara had decided to get married. Then again, we haven't really gotten to talk a lot in the past week. We've both been busy, what with school and him settling himself back into the mansion fr the holidays.

"Besides, you have no right to say anything about 'family' when you barely spend time with us in the first place." Ouch.

"I do! Just last night, I took your mother out-"

"As an apology for bringing work to dinner, a family dinner might I add. You practically ignored her the entire time in favor of work. Did you know she came to me that night, asking me if she was doing anything wrong? No matter how many times I told her that wasn't the truth, she would just shake her head and say that she would just have to try harder. Father! Don't you see how tired she looks? When I left home to go to college, she looked tired because she had been managing the mansion all on her own without much rest. When I came home, she looked even more tired and weary!"

"I-"

"Don't even get me started on Sasuke. He doesn't know how to act around you because all your interactions between each other has you admonishing him and him taking it with clenched teeth. He might not say anything, but he hates you, father. Eventually, he's going to have enough and do something and it will be explosive. When that time comes, I hope I won't be there to see how much hatred you've put in him."

The only sound after that was the sound of Itachi's dying footsteps as he walked away from father, leaving him alone in front of my door.

* * *

The dinner in the dining hall was... uncomfortable... (that's an extreme understatement)

I had changed the man's, Naruto, bandages. He was uncomfortable with the bandages, if his constant picking at them was anything to go by. He mostly just stared at me and called me 'Esuka'. I had tried to get him to learn my actual name, but he insisted that my name was Esuka.

I had managed to sneak him some food, left over bacon and grapes from bacon. He had accepted the food enthusiastically and had fallen asleep again soon after finishing. I guess he still needed to recover from the loss of so much blood.

I had spent the entire time on the laptop I had brought with me. I searched up the legend and had found multiple things, such as that Naruto had been sent to the mortal realm by his father Minato, the Celestial God of the Sky in Konohagakure lore, to help the humans with the harvest that year. He found himself loving the humans and their village so much that he requested to be able to watch over the village and make a home in the forest. Minato had granted the request almost immediately. Naruto basically represents light or heat in their legends and is seen to be impish but kind and helpful. He's also told to be capable of wielding a special blue flame known as _kitsune-bi_ in the legends and that he lights the lanterns with it on nights of the new moon. Apparently, they are able to perform what he can already do without him being present.

It also seemed that if Naruto was to ever die or his connection with land was shattered (forcibly taken away without his consent), Konoha would be plunged into an icy winter sent by Minato who believes that the relationship should go both ways (Naruto protects Konoha and Konoha should protect Naruto).

How exactly did they know how he acted if he wasn't real?

... I shouldn't say that. After everything that's happened last night and today, it's completely safe to say that he's totally real.

I turned my attention back on dinner, a rather awkward affair. Father and Itachi were practically killing each other with their glares. Mother looked between them, not exactly sure what was going on between them. She had been downstairs in the lobby at the time of the argument, she had told me when we came down here. Everyone else in the dining hall were staring timidly at our table, uncertain of what to do.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and the tension cleared up a little. Everyone could actually breathe and seemed grateful for it since they all turned to see who was at the door. It turned out to be Kakashi and Iruka again, only this time their entrance was less boisterous. They calmly walked through the hall to the table reserved for them, walking past me as they did.

I felt something be slid into my hand as Kakashi passed by, though I made no indication that I felt it. I slipped the item, a note, into my pocket. After they had sat down, the tension returned. Almost everyone in the room was sagging from the weight of the air. Except for...

I sneaked a look out of the corner of my eye at Kakashi and Iruka. They sat nonchalantly with each other, just staring at the rest of us. Kakashi caught my look and winked at me before looking somewhere else.

After a few more minutes, I excused myself to the bathroom. My mother had playfully glared at me for leaving her alone with my fighting father and brother but had nodded her consent at me, anyway.

As soon as I was hidden away in the bathroom and behind a closed stall door, I took out the note and read it.

_We know that you have Naruto. We thank you for being kind enough to take care of him in his moment of weakness; we're not sure Konohagakure would survive the fierce temper of Lord Minato if you hadn't. _

_Tomorrow, bring Naruto to our room. Any questions you have will be answered there and with as little hesitance as possible. _

_- Kakashi and Iruka_

After that was a scribbled number, most likely their room's number. I briefly wondered if it was a smart idea to do as they asked, Naruto still seemed weak. If they turned out to be a part of Orochimaru's group, then I would practically be handing Naruto over to someone who didn't seem to have the best intentions.

However, their reaction to the story Kabuto told us all was strange. They looked absolutely vivid. Maybe they're Konohagakure natives? It would explain their reaction and give a reason as to why they decided to communicate with me and I do have a few questions. If they say that they're willing to answer them, then I should take advantage of it.

I nodded to myself. It was decided; tomorrow, Naruto and I will go meet with Iruka and Kakashi.

* * *

Honestly guys, I had really written the entire scene with Iruka and Kakashi today...

Now this means I'll have more work for tomorrow, I think it'll be the longest one yet... If I get it out REALLY close or after midnight, then you should know that next chapter is looking to be over 8000 words with how I'm planning it at the moment. It was originally going to be about 5000, but with the added words for Iruka and Kakashi/Naruto and Sasuke question scene, it'll probably be well over that.

Sigh... I knew there was a reason I hated updating every day. Really stressful considering this turned into a rather sketchy plot that I'm constantly trying to plug up holes for... xD

So, yeah. Review, follow, fav, do what you guys do. :)

Happy Holidays! Tomorrow shall be filled with a lot more action if everything goes to frickin' plan (meaning that I don't lose progress).

**_~Kitsune-Ohime-Sama~_**


	5. 12-24

**Pairings:**

SasuNaru/ Magnet Shipping

KakaIru/ Animal Control Shipping

ItaDei/ Black & White Shipping

FugaMiko/ Persona Shipping

Implied!NejiGaa/ Silent Shipping

Implied!KyuuMina/ Seal Shipping (Dunno, it can be interpreted as such or not, depends on you)

Here it is! I cut the size down a notch because my mom needed my help most of the day. I also figured I shouldn't overload you guys too much, after all, everything shall be revealed tomorrow, right? :)

So this chapter is a bit over 5900 words. That's good considering that's more than the other chapters, right? :D

Also, thanks guys! I literally went from four reviews to ten overnight. I hope this chapter is worthwhile!

**Summary:**

Being forced to come with his family to the luxurious, Konoha Lodge for Christmas is not Sasuke's idea of spending the holidays. However, the legend of the fox child lulls him into the forest surrounding the lodge. Will he find what he's looking for there or will his vacation fall flat?

**Warnings:** AU, Language, Yaoi, and OOC moments.

Kakashi is a warning all on his own. (AKA, Perversion)

I'm sad to say I bring in religion in this chapter. If you (don't) have a religion and you disagree with what I'm writing, I'm sorry, but this is a work of fiction. It's not meant to be taken seriously and if you do, then all I can do is cock my head and say I warned you.

A song is used; Alone Together by Fall Out Boy (MY FAV)

* * *

_December 24th_

_Christmas Eve_

* * *

_We had done it again; the entire harvest was collected and safely tucked away inside storage. The entire village wanted to celebrate a job well done and did so in great fervor. I didn't feel like joining in the festivities. I wasn't that social, in fact the only person I really considered my friend is-_

_"Esuka!" I instantly straightened up and turned behind me in the direction of that voice. Cheerful blue eyes caught my gaze before brightening even further. Like many times before this clear, starry night, I find myself lost in their hue. Under the light of the full moon, under Lord Minato's own watchful eyes, our deity sat down next to me on top of the roof of my home. I looked away, blushing; I had put on my best clothes in hopes to impress our deity but then, he never was one for clothing. We had to practically force him into the robe my mother had made for him.__  
_

_"Esuka? Why do you look away? Am I that ugly to look at?" I felt myself freeze before turning around as swiftly as I could. Those blue eyes I loved so much were downcast and a frown marred our deity's face. I reached a hand out to tangle into his blond hair. Arching into the touch, he reluctantly gazed up at me with half-lidded eyes._

_"Never call yourself ugly, for you are a star that outshines the rest. Your handsome physical features are one thing I love about you, but your personality and attitude, I love far more than anything in the world." Those words made him laugh, he always found our language to be strange, but had learned it, anyway. If only so he could be closer to us. Still caught in the moment of laughter, our deity leaned against me, a content smile graced his lips. His eyes were completely closed. Our deity was probably exhausted for lighting the farm fields and racing around the place to wherever we needed him. We always try to make it up to him with giving him a comfortable place to stay at night and he asks for no more._

_A similar smile on my own face, I wrapped an arm around our deity and pulled him closer to me. Above us all, Lord Minato brightened the moon in acceptance._

* * *

**~I don't know where you're going, but do you got room for one more troubled soul? I don't know where I'm going but I don't think I'm going home! And I say: I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead! This is the road to ruin... and we're starting at the end!~**

I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut at the sudden noise. Taking my hand, I dug it inside of my pillowcase and brought back out my phone. Glaring, I turned the damn thing off.

My brother has remarked countless times that I'm a heavy sleeper and that not even the world coming to a drastic end filled with meteors, aliens, and cliched romance will wake me up. This posed as a problem because I can't simply leave my phone on the desk because I'll just sleep through it, so I ended up putting it in my pillowcase, right under my ear. It's not the best solution, but it works.

I momentarily reflected on my dream. I'm pretty sure Naruto was in it, but he kept calling me by that damned name, Esuka. It seemed like we were closer than we are at the moment and that Naruto's speech was far better to what it is now.

Yawning loudly, I peeked over my shoulder at Naruto who was staring at my phone with a rather passive glare. He then turned to me and raised an eyebrow as if asking who I'm looking at. I rolled his eyes when he started to pull himself up into a sitting condition and leaned on my back, his head on my shoulder. He growled lowly in greeting. Naruto doesn't really speak unless I start the conversation off.

I also made him the judge of the note by absently calling out the names when I was researching more about Konoha after dinner. He had responded warmly, brightening up from his spot on the bed (actually, he was lying on my chest...) and looking around with a small smile. When he realized that Iruka and Kakashi weren't around he had mock glared at me and nipped my ear before going back to sleep. Blushing, I knew I had my answer. Both Kakashi and Iruka can be trusted to a higher degree than before.

Focusing on the present, I rubbed one of his ears, making him sigh in content. I absently wondered if he felt this was all a huge game; rarely did he seem serious or truly agitated except for he wanted to argue about my name or caught whiff of my father's scent.

Not really up for it, I got up to get dressed in something better than just boxers. If I'm going to be up at four in the morning to get some damn answers, then I'm going to take my sweet time getting ready.

* * *

About thirty minutes later, I was carrying Naruto on my back down to the third floor. He had insisted that he could walk now because the wound had closed, but his wound was still terribly deep and I didn't want to chance it reopening because he over exerted himself. He was wearing the robe I had found him in and getting more comfortable with the concept of boxers. The employees always take the dirty clothes away at some point in the day and leave them on your bed for you to find after dinner, clean and smelling of the woods.

Today, I was wearing black jeans and a red shirt. Over that was a black, long-sleeve jean sweater that was unbuttoned. I had on black and white sneakers that made soft creaks on the wooden floor as we made our way down to Kakashi and Iruka's room. Naruto 'oohed' and 'awed' at paintings of different types of flowers that decorated the green walls of the hallway. It seemed as if the whole hotel's theme was based mostly on green and brown.

We turned another corner after I made sure it was empty. I walked a little slower, seeing that the gold-colored plates with the room numbers etched into them were closer to the one I needed. Finally, we came upon the room, 304.

I was about to knock when I felt Naruto tense up against me in search of comfort. I turned to him, concerned. "Wha-"

"Lord Orochimaru, what shall we do now?" Oh god, I could feel my blood freeze as I stared fearfully at the corner. Kabuto and Orochimaru.

What are they doing up so early (what am _I_ doing up so early)!? I glared at the door and started knocking on it. If we're caught, I completely blame these two. Naruto looked between the corner and the door, as if making a touch decision. As if suddenly deciding it, he slammed a flat palm on the door.

I felt my knees buckle as a fierce wave heat went through me and left as quickly as it came. I groaned, feeling slightly sweaty while Naruto seemed unaffected. Was he the one who d-

"Kabuto, did you feel that? He has used his power. He must be close." The footsteps came closer. You want to get your sorry ass killed, don't you Naruto? I turned to glare at him only to see him practically gasping for breath. Immediately my concern went out for him, what he'd done must have been exhausting in his state. I pulled him off my back and leaned him against the door. He looked up at me with tired eyes before grabbing me and pulling me into his embrace, still breathing heavily. I returned it as I could practically see Kabuto and Orochimaru's shadows on the wall, getting bigger and bigger. Their footsteps sounded louder and were getting more and more daunting as they approached.

What I wouldn't give for a miracle right about now...

The answer to that wish was the door opening all of a sudden and Kakashi to appear, looking absolutely evil as he glared down at me. However, the moment he saw Naruto, he grabbed us both and practically threw us into the room with a crazy amount of strength. We landed on the wooden floor, my back on the ground and Naruto on top of me. He snarled at the sudden movement, his ears flicking towards Kakashi. It was cut short when we were pulled over behind a wall and out of the line of sight of the door leading in and out of the room. I turned to see who had dragged us, it was Iruka who was signaling for us to be quiet.

I was about to ask why, leaning against the wall as I did, when I heard Orochimaru talking. "Why, hello, Kakashi. Quite a bit of ways from home?" His voice was like honey, silky and sweet, but it had a certain vibe about it that sent shivers down your spine. Naruto strengthened his hold me; did he already know of Orochimaru?

"Good morning, Orochimaru. Yes, it does seem that way." Kakashi replied in the same voice, only a bit rougher. "What exactly are you doing up so early, if I may ask?"

"Hm... well, why are you up so early?" His voice had dropped to a silky drawl. Kakashi didn't budge, however.

"It's rude to answer a question with a question, Orochimaru."

"It's also rude to deny me what you can't even afford to keep." Deny? Did he mean the forest? Anger towards him filled me, but why? Was it because I admired the natives for doing so much to make sure it remained theirs? Was it because I had seen for myself the beauty of the woods and can't bear to see it go because of some greedy man?

Or...

I looked down at Naruto who was holding onto me as I was his lifeline. I was used to it, the idea that Naruto wanted me and only me to protect him when he couldn't do it himself. It was a position that I now realize I take pride in having. I had originally thought that talking verbally was the only way we could communicate, but Naruto was able to read the atmosphere and mood really well and acted in a way that showed me he understood what I was trying to do and wanted. We have only known each other for a day, but somehow it felt like we had an understanding of what we both wanted and needed already. A type of bond only the closest of people could really have.

"You know very well why we won't sell the land. You won't be getting either." Kakashi's voice broke me out of my reverie. A hiss-like chuckle was his response. I winced, just how snake-like was this man?

"We shall see, Kakashi. We shall see." With that, I heard them walk away, their footsteps fading as they left the area. Relief pooled into me and I slumped against the wall; that was close...

The adrenaline from the earlier event left my body, leaving me fatigued on top of my already there tiredness. I had gone to bed at eleven last night because I asked room service to bring something up that Naruto could eat. Sleeping for only five hours is something I should be used to thanks to my constant sneaking out, but I have found myself sleeping in a lot when the winter break started.

The lights were flicked on after a while. A pair of bare feet stepped into my line of sight. I traveled up the legs to meet the eyes of an irate Kakashi. His one visible eye glared at me, his arms crossed. "What exactly possessed you to come here so early?"

I narrowed my eyes. "So you wanted me to come in the middle of the day, knowing full and well that the halls would have employees and guests running up and down them constantly?"

Iruka, who looked slightly worse for wear, yawned and sat on the only bed in the room. "He's right, Kakashi. As good as he was at getting Naruto in here, it wouldn't be as easy to get him out." He squinted his eyes, trying to look at Naruto and I through his daze. "Speaking of which, we must thank you again."

I was slowly easing myself up into standing, Naruto being held up with one arm when he said that. I looked at him. "Why? It was nothing special."

Both of them looked affronted (or at least I think Kakashi looked shocked, he had that damn ski mask on). "'Nothing special'?" Iruka repeated, surprise in his voice.

They shared a look. I frowned a little, watching Kakashi sit next to Iruka and pat the spot next to him. I reluctantly moved forward, dragging a somewhat unresponsive Naruto with me and lying him on the bed before getting on myself. His breath began to even out and soon enough, he was asleep again. Annoyance prickled inside me. How much did he need to sleep, honestly?

"Well... he hasn't been in direct contact with the sun or moon, so he'll need to rest more. Even more so thanks to that sudden heat wave he sent out to wake us up." Iruka explained when I voiced my question, moving closer so that he could pet Naruto's hair. So that's what he was trying to do and why he looked like it was a hard decision. There was a large chance of failure and him being too drained to be much of help if Orochimaru and Kabuto had caught us.

"Anything else?" Kakashi asked, looking less annoyed. I nodded, feeling anticipation and anxious. I had researched more last night so I could figure out exactly what I wanted to know and what just needed to be explained.

"Who exactly is 'Lord Minato'? I couldn't find anything about him except for brief mentions." I started. Iruka's expression turned thoughtful, as if he was trying to remember all the details he could.

"Well... he's Naruto's father, for one." He gestured towards Naruto with his head. "He's also the Celestial God of the Sky. He turns day into night and vice versa. He also controls the weather. We hold a day of service for him during the day of second half moon of the month. The first is reserved for Lord Kurama who goes by the name of 'Kyuubi' to those who don't worship our deities. He's thought of as the Celestial God of the Earth."

Huh... two Celestial Gods, one for earth and one for sky. "Are they both from your village's own religion?"

Kakashi explained this one. "No. It was originally something everyone in the land believed long before Naruto's first appearance. Soon, the world changed and people began turning to ideas from other lands, including other religions. That was why Konohagakure was founded, as a haven for those who didn't want to stop believing. The story of the legend of the half moon told by Kabuto is the censored version." I blinked. Censored? Could this mean there's more to it?

"Why?"

"Simply to tell our story without looking like we're attacking someone's beliefs. There's also the oath to consider." Oath? As in the oath that no one tell of the fox? Maybe that's why I couldn't find a lot of information that I didn't already know, because they were limited on what could be told without sounding like bullshit.

"Has Naruto always been in contact with you?" They both shook their heads, causing me to reel back. This entire time, it sounded as if Naruto was just a well-kept secret from the rest of the world. Iruka answered this one.

"He had truly stopped coming to visit us after the emperor left, only coming out to eat our offering when every single person has left. In the past, people, mostly tourists, have tried to catch him with cameras, but he would just not come at all in that case. Naruto had actually initiated the contact about two months ago, simply walking out of the forest and waiting for Lady Tsunade, our leader, to come speak with him." Surprised, I looked at Naruto. He was still sleeping, not moving a single inch. For being so active when awake, he sure sleeps like the dead.

"What did he say?"

"It was really hard to understand, as he had forgotten most of our language which has also changed, but we were able to get that the forest was calling for him to help. About two days after his reappearance, Orochimaru returned, demanding that we sell him the land..." Iruka crossed his arms looking away when he finished. I furrowed my eyebrows in thought. Orochimaru did pose a problem, bringing up the massive amount of debts the village owed. He also seemed to know of Naruto's existence and... wait. Return?

As if sensing the unsaid question, Iruka went on to say, "Orochimaru was originally Lady Tsunade's best friend along with Lord Jiraiya. However, Lady Tsunade and Orochimaru both wanted to lead Konohagakure. Lady Tsunade won and Orochimaru fled from the village in rage. He's come back to reap some sort of revenge on us, that I'm sure of."

I'm sure there was more to the story than what Iruka was saying, but Kakashi was shaking his head in the background. It was a sign that it wasn't something worth asking. Now, I just needed my most important question answered.

"Who's Esuka?" Almost instantly, both of them straightened and stared at me.

"How do you know of Esuka?" Kakashi asked, looking me up and down with a skeptical eye. I gestured to Naruto.

"He keeps calling me that no matter how many times I say that my name's Sasuke." They shared another look. Kakashi stood up and leaned against a wall.

"...We believe," Kakashi said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "that Esuka was Naruto's friend from when he still lit up the night." I blinked confused. That made sense, but why were they so solemn? Besides, the actual Esuka would be long dead.

"It's possible that you look like the Esuka Naruto remembers, but that's not the biggest issue."

"Then, what is...?"

"...You must understand Sasuke, while Naruto is powerful and is immortal, he is considered a child in the eyes of the Celestial Gods and Goddesses. Lord Minato is described to be very hesitant with his choice of letting Naruto help Konohagakure in our version. It was to the point where he spent over three years mulling over it, and the reason why was because Lord Minato thought Naruto wouldn't adjust to the mortal realm. Due to his immortality and immaturity, he doesn't understand the concept of death; he truly believes that Esuka has been alive all this time." Kakashi said, a pleading tone in his voice. I stared at him, my eyes wide, then turned it to Naruto. He believes I'm his dead friend? In that case, is that why he trusts me so easily?

A part of me felt anger and pain as I realized what that meant. Naruto didn't truly trust me, he trusts Esuka. I'm just a copy of him in the modern times apparently.

Slumping my shoulders, I looked away from Naruto, unable to look at him without feeling some sort of urge to scream. Iruka laid a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. I know you must feel attached to Naruto already..."

Attached?

I stood straight almost instantly, as if a jolt of lightning had ran through me. My eyes met Iruka's surprised brown ones. "You didn't notice? I would say that from the way you were holding him earlier that you had developed some sort of feelings for him."

I blinked. Feelings? A frown on my face, I turned away from them again. Did I truly have feelings for Naruto?

Inwardly, I scoffed. I don't think it's the cliched love kind of feelings, more like a crush that has developed through him spending time with me and me helping him. Truthfully, I have never warmed up to someone so fast. The mere thought of Naruto getting hurt like he did before scared me and we've only known each other for less than three days.

Naruto had something about him that made me open up my heart and let him inside before I even had a chance to realize and close the doors. Not that I want to now that I think about it.

That was what worried me the most about Naruto.

* * *

Eventually, I had gotten my act together and gathered a still sleeping Naruto on my back. I told them that I had to go before it was too late and I walked right smack in the middle of breakfast with family. They agreed that it was time for me to leave, seeing that it was now past six and told me to come to them if I or Naruto needed anything. In response, I shrugged, not really positive I'd ever take them up on their offer. Iruka had looked at me with sympathetic eyes while Kakashi patted me on the back and whispered good byes as I left their room.

I met no one on the way to the elevator or anyone as I walked down the hall to our suite. It seems as if Orochimaru and Kabuto had finally stopped haunting the halls of the lodge for now. Feeling victorious as I stood in front of our door, I pushed in the key and walked in and closed the door. I stopped moving, listening for any sounds that my family was awake. I heard the shower in the direction of my parent's room running but that was it.

I practically slid to my room, quickly ducking inside and closing the door. Naruto twitched at the sudden movement. "Ne... Esuka?"

I narrowed my eyes, ignoring the slight hurt that bubbled inside me as I set Naruto down on the bed and sat down at the desk. He looked at me, confused. The deity opened his mouth to say something when I heard soft knocking on the door. Naruto stared at it, his left ear twitching.

"Sasuke?" I blinked, it hardly sounded like my father. His voice was monotone and had a hint of smugness in it, this one was softer and weaker, as if uncertain of what to say.

I swallowed. What was going on now? "Yes, father?"

I heard a shuffling sound before he spoke up again. "... I realize we haven't really done anything as a family as of late."

Now that I think about it, no, we haven't. We mostly did things on our own and then reluctantly came to dinner in the dining hall, none of us really conversing about what we did or how we're doing. In fact, father was mostly busy with business and mother has been socializing with other guests. Itachi takes extremely long walks to central Konoha and refrains from coming back until the very last second while I'm busy taking care of Naruto.

"So... let's say tomorrow, we all go to Konohagakure's village square and participate in the Half Moon Celebration after we open presents?" That actually didn't sound like a bad idea. Mother would most likely agree, since she was already enthused with the legend. Itachi would probably try to bring something back with him to Deidara; he told me that Deidara found the legend to be exciting and 'kick-ass'. Me? Well, I want to see Naruto with his people. He's been so out of contact that I would expect that he'd be pretty excited for the celebration.

"Orochimaru said he was willing to provide us with transportation." All those ideas and wishes came to a crashing halt. Orochimaru!? I felt myself tense at the mention of his name. Did he suspect me? Was that why he offered us with transportation? Out of the corner of my eye, Naruto was curling his tails around himself. My eyes widened. Naruto.

How exactly will I sneak Naruto to Konoha?

"...Sasuke?" My father called. Surprised, I shook my head.

"Yeah, that sounds good father. I will most definitely come." A sigh was heard on the other side of the door.

"That's good. Oh, and before I forget, Orochimaru also said that he had found your sketchbook outside. You should take better care of your things, Sasuke. He also said he would return it to you tomorrow." All the good feelings I felt before vanished when I heard that. He had my sketchbook and he knew who I was. I let out a shaky breath. I was really going to have to avoid contact with him or Kabuto tomorrow.

"Thank you father." I couldn't find anything else to say.

* * *

Later on, I found myself alone. Father, mother, and Itachi had last-minute shopping, but I had finished everything I needed to do. I was sitting at my desk, sketching a picture of Naruto. I was halfway finished when felt like I was being watched. I looked up at Naruto and I noticed that he was staring at me with a blank face. Arching an eyebrow, I asked him what is the problem.

"... Want to see... Will go see?" I moaned in annoyance. Damn his way of speaking.

"See what?" He pointed a the window behind him, straight at the sky. I looked at it; it was filled with dark clouds. It'll probably snow a little bit more tonight.

"See."

...

Am I missing something here? I blinked a couple times at where his finger was pointing. "... See...?"

He nodded, still not dropping his arm. I shifted my gaze back at him, unsure of what he was getting at. Sky...? With sudden clarity, I remembered. Naruto's father was the Celestial God of the Sky. Naruto wasn't pointing at anything particular in the sky (like you could actually see much else besides clouds), just the sky itself. Naruto finally gained an expression, but it wasn't one I liked. Sadness.

"Miss terribly. Clouds there. Maybe mad?" Okay... So, Naruto misses his father, but there's clouds in the sky. Therefor, he's concluding that Minato is mad? I wonder what Minato would be mad about...

"Why would your father be mad?" I asked, standing up from my chair to sit on the bed with him. I opened and arm to him and he moved closer, his tails wrapping around us both. We stared outside the window at the cloudy sky. Now that I think of it, it did look like someone was up there was mad.

"... Not sure." He tilted his head a little. "See. People pay respects." I looked at him inquiringly.

"You're sure he'll be there at the Half Moon Celebration?" Naruto didn't say anything, but nodded. My gaze softened and I turned back to the window. "I hope I do get to meet him." I whispered.

Naruto recoiled from me, causing me to turn to him. He was glaring, his entire body filled with agitation. "Esuka already met! No meet again! See again!"

My anger flared and I couldn't keep the angered scowl from off my face. I really couldn't stand that name! "How many times will I have to tell you? My name is NOT Esuka. It's Sasuke!"

Naruto shook his head furiously, waving his hands in a negative gesture. "No, no, no! Esuka! Get right!" That stoked the flames of my ire.

"How can I get my name right when I never had it wrong in the first place?!" I pointed at him. "How about _you_ get it right? Sasuke!"

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! NO SASUKE! NEVER SASUKE! DON'T WANT SASUKE!" He shouted in an explosion of fury. I stared at him, stupefied.

How was I... supposed to react to that? I know that he was talking about my name, but that didn't stop the pain...

Almost instantly, the anger drained from his face and all that was left was regret and sorrow as he realized what those words meant. He withdrew inside himself, loosely crossing his arms. He closed his eyes and started to shake. "... Did not... Not..."

I stood abruptly, looking away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his head snap up at my movement. I could see his eyes start to get glossy with unshed tears. I bit my lip; I wasn't going to watch this. Turning on my heel, I stalked out of the room. I could hear Naruto moving, desperately trying to catch up to me on his hurt ankle, but I slammed the door in front of him. He hasn't had the opportunity to figure out doorknobs.

Breathing heavily, I leaned against the door. I could hear the soft whimpers from the other side which turned into slight sobs and scratching on the door. I brought a hand up to my face, trying to ignore the sting in my heart.

Something on the floor caught my eye. I moved my head a little only to look away a few seconds later. It was the tips of Naruto's fingers, frantically moving underneath the door in search of me.

I glared at those fingers and stepped back, still hearing the crying from the door. Shaking my head with clenched teeth, I turned once again and walked to the living room. Once there, I turned to the large window that brought tons of light into the room and took a step back. Outside the window, was an older, more mature looking version of Naruto dressed in a white robe with red flames on the bottom. Behind him, the sky seemed more darker. The wind blew his hair harshly around his face. He was looking at me with a pained, sorrowful expression. He stared at me for a few moments before looking towards the door leading to my room; the room Naruto was still in, crying. He looked back at me, leveling a glare that told me it was my fault and I will fix it.

I shook my head and aimed a glare at the person. I refuse to feel bad for Naruto. From the get go, he had this coming. The disapproving stare I received almost dug into me, as if chilling my very soul. We stared at each other, neither of us relenting... until I fell to my knees before him. I could feel tears trail down my face as I looked at the person.

_What do you want me to do?_

His face was marred with an unreadble expression of way too many emotions; sadness, pain, remorse, forgiveness, anger, betrayal...

Finally, he looked away, shedding his own tears. His body began to dissipate into snowflakes that swirled into the upcoming storm that none of us had predicted.

Not even Minato knew what could happen now...

* * *

Emptiness.

Only way to describe the pain. It hurt so much, not even the pain of trap compared.

Lying on side, the floor is hard. Tears still stream down face. Try to blink and wipe away, more just come. Did not mean to hurt. Did not mean to cause pain. Never wanted to cause Esu...

The pain worsens. Why does it hurt so much? Curl in on self, wish away the damage caused. Only fruitless dreams...

A thump against glass. Instantly alert. Look at window, see rain. Papa crying, too. Wince. Do not like when Papa cries. Does it too much lately.

Stand up slowly, wince from leg. Should be healed by now, but no. Lean against portal to outside, where ... he had gone. Want to join, want to say something nice. Make pain go away...

All do is mess things up... Not been able to help like used to. It hurts...

Fatigue. Too tired to cry anymore. Darkness...

* * *

My feet are cold! :(

Anyway... don't... hit me? :,D

Oh come on, you should've figured there would be some sort of argument in there somewhere! Also, about the crying, it's pretty much due to being stressed out about multiple things and finally crashing down on the both of them. The Minato part was my favorite to write, I honestly see him as a awkward but over-protective parent who just wants what's best for Naruto. Naruto understands this, but still revolts against Minato in a playful manner.

Yes, I know Naruto doesn't do shit (besides sleep), but you have to remember that he lost a lot of blood. While he won't really die from it, it drains on his energy more. He's also been out of contact with the sky (as stated in the story). However... believe it or not, I'm going to try to write a large portion of tomorrow's chapter from Naruto's point of view. Is it too difficult to read and understand? If it is, I'll do it in third person instead.

So... yeah... please refrain from killing me in your reviews (HOW ELSE WILL I BE ABLE TO FINISH THE STORY?!), fav, and follow!

Happy Holidays, guys, and remember! Last chapter and epilogue (will be at bottom) tomorrow!

_**~Kitsune-Ohime-Sama~**_


	6. 12-25 & 1-1

**Pairings:**

SasuNaru/ Magnet Shipping

KakaIru/ Animal Control Shipping

ItaDei/ Black & White Shipping

FugaMiko/ Persona Shipping

Implied!NejiGaa/ Silent Shipping

Implied!KyuuMina/ Seal Shipping (Dunno, it can be interpreted as such or not, depends on you)

If you had been here waiting for a chapter from me for about three days, then you should know that I'm very sorry for the wait. Apparently, the login server was down and no one could access their personal dashboard (the login), review, or even favorite something on the day of Christmas. I also couldn't work on the new chapter for most of the day which put it on delay since it seems to be a rather long one. Then, on the 26th, I had a hair appointment and I was really drained from the entire thing because I was trying to finish up Sasuke's part before getting to the headache known as Naruto's section (the entire appointment took about six hours of my day, not kidding).

I don't have an excuse for the 27th, 28th, or 29th besides laziness, lack of motivation, an English project for school, and just overall being sick with a cold. Then, on the 30th I decided to just upload the chapter on the 1st of January, therefor filling my obligation of a New Year's chapter. Personally, I think me banning myself from anime and drawing until I finish this is a worthy punishment (I'm rewatching Naruto, so suddenly not watching it makes me agitated). This chapter was accomplished very slowly, like 1000 or a bit less/more words a day.

Somewhere along the line, I realized that this had stopped being a Christmas story. Looking back, it never really was about Christmas. In fact, Christmas was just part of the setting. xD

Well, considering Valentine's Day: Memory Trail, I should know that I can't focus on the holiday and will eventually veer off the previously destined path just because the other one looks more fun. In truth, the actual ending versus what I had planned from the beginning has the actual ending come out on top in my opinion. xD

Thank you all for reading this story, a more proper thank-you will be at the bottom.

Please do enjoy and much apologies for being over three days late!

**Summary:**

Being forced to come with his family to the luxurious, Konoha Lodge for Christmas is not Sasuke's idea of spending the holidays. However, the legend of the fox child lulls him into the forest surrounding the lodge. Will he find what he's looking for there or will his vacation fall flat?

**Warnings:** AU, Language, Yaoi, and OOC moments.

Kakashi is a warning all on his own. (AKA, Perversion)

Itachi is a troll.

All the cars used in this story are random cars that are to come out in 2014. I don't pay attention to cars, so if they're not as cool/expensive as you're expecting for these characters, then oh well.

Cheesy at times, but that's the beauty of Christmas stories. They usually have way too many cheesy moments.

Naruto's POV had been changed to a third person like style. It's really just because his point of view is not very tolerant of dialogue and is only good for getting to the point as fast as possible. If I was to write his part in his original point of view, it would eventually look like a jumbled up mess. O_O

He refers to himself as 'he' or 'him' and rarely says his name. I guess I can also justify it because... well... maybe this is better for the post-AN.

* * *

_December 25th_

_Christmas Day_

* * *

Sasuke's POV

I woke up uncomfortable and stiff. Groaning slightly, I pulled myself into a sitting position, noticing that I was on the floor. With sluggish movement, I looked around the small room I found myself in, mildly surprised to realize it was actually my bathroom. Slowly, I started to remember how I came to be here.

I had hesitantly returned to my room three hours after meeting Naruto's father for the first time (not one of the best meetings...) only to find Naruto right in front of the door curled in on himself with a pained scowl and tear marks all over his face. I'm not going into the extreme guilt I felt just from seeing him like that.

After cleaning his face off, I had put him in my bed for the night (it was past nine). You might be wondering where exactly I slept. Well, it obviously wasn't in the bed, I don't think I can face Naruto after that scene so close afterwards. I would just get hounded by questions from my family if I slept in the living room. So, where did I sleep? I'll tell you.

In the bathroom with a pillow made out of toilet paper and a blanket that was really a towel. Nothing else needs to be said.

I crawled to the door, trying not to make any loud noises. I opened it a crack, just enough to see the bed. On it was a lump with blond hair and ears peeking from under the covers, not making any sounds or movement except for the soft snoring. Naruto was still sleeping peacefully. I opened the door wider and stood properly. His ears twitched slightly, but there was nothing else.

As quickly and quietly as I could, I tip-toed over to the door and was about to turn the knob when I heard rustling and a voice I wasn't prepared to listen to. "Wait!"

Making my voice as cold as I could, I said without looking back at Naruto, "Just leave it."

I didn't hear anything more, not even the rustling of blankets. Figuring it safe to leave, I opened the door and closed it behind me. Once outside, I could see my family gathered in the living room where the Christmas tree acted as a centerpiece. Upon hearing the door, their heads all turned to me. Mother sent me a blinding smile and was holding up the present I had gotten for her, but I didn't have the spirit to send something similar right back as I walked towards them.

* * *

Three hours later, we were all outside waiting in front of the lodge. The sky was a murky gray, Minato was most likely still upset from yesterday and from this morning. I can't really blame him.

Naruto had tried repeatedly to speak to me when I came back to get dressed, but I would just ignore him or slam the bathroom door with me behind it. After a while, he just stopped, looking at me with a defeated expression. I find myself wondering which one is worse, that expression or the face of sadness. Both don't suit Naruto much at all. Now he was waiting with Iruka and Kakashi. I had taken him to their room and told them that when I opened the car door to open their window, they were to immediately come outside with Naruto in a disguise that hid away his status as a Konoha's deity.

Father had taken Orochimaru up on his offer, but I managed to get him to agree to let me drive our car on my own under the pretense on practicing my driver's license. Itachi had stared at me with an amused face, as he was the only one in our family who knew I already had my driver's license. This was so I could sneak Naruto into the car. Yeah, I still plan on helping him, despite what had happened earlier.

However, I couldn't leave until everyone else did and Orochimaru seemed to be taking his damn sweet time with bringing over his car. Father and mother were talking softly with each other, but I could see that she was very happy with the attention given. Itachi was the closest to me, staring at the road that led to Konohagakure with something that looked akin to anticipation in his eyes. I couldn't believe my eyes; something my brother was totally interested in that didn't involve pocky or Deidara? I had the urge to ask him what was going on, but the snake finally made an appearance in a sleek, dark blue Acura RLX.

Mother and father wasted no time in going towards the car and getting in, greeting Kabuto and Orochimaru politely. Itachi kept his silence and only walked over after father and mother had entered, waving a hand towards me.

_Don't crash the car._

I mock glared at him.

_Like I would._

I could hear him snort, amused from our brief, non-verbal conversation as he entered the car as well and left me alone in front of the entrance. I felt a sense of deviation and rebellion as I began to trek towards the car.

"Sasuke." God da-, what did father want now? Clenching my teeth, and not from the cold, I turned on my heel and walked back to stand in front of the window my father was sticking his head out of.

"Yes father?" I asked, trying to ignore the fact that I could see a dangerous and calculative glint in Kabuto's eyes if I turned my head the right angle. He reached behind him, grabbed something from a politely/borderline creepy smiling Kabuto (please stop, ten puppies die every time it happens), and presented what he now had in his hand before me. Panic chased my previous good feelings out the window as I stared at the worn, brown cover of the sketchbook I haven't seen for about three days. It was bad enough that those two bastards had found it in the first place, it's worse that they know it belongs to me because that means that they can pin me as the prime suspect for helping Naruto escape the trap set for him in the forest. Trying to keep the hysteria of my thoughts off my face, I accepted my sketchbook and said a jaded 'thank you'.

My response was rewarded with a couple sneers, a few glares, and an entertained expression from the passengers of the car. Father slid the window back up, not even bothering to answer me. Taking that as my cue to leave, I turned again and resumed walking towards the car. Once there, I looked over my shoulder to see that they had left. I heard a door open and close, making me turn my head to the entrance. I was relieved to see Iruka, Kakashi, and Naruto walk towards me in a crisp and cautious manner.

Iruka was wearing some faded, brown jeans with a blue long sleeved sweater. Black hiking bots finished off his assemble. Kakashi wore a crisp white shirt under a black jacket. His bottoms were some black slacks with similar boots to Iruka. He still wore his trademark blue ski mask, but also wore a necklace with small emeralds stylized into an etching of what looked like a leaf. I suppose it's the mark of Konoha.

Naruto surprised me the most. His ears and tails were completely gone, as if by magic. The whisker marks on his cheeks seemed to be covered with make-up. His face seemed naked and strange without them. His clothes consisted of black jeans with a silver chain from one belt loop to another three loops away. A white shirt under a matching unbuttoned, short-sleeve orange shirt. An orange wristband found a home on his left wrist and a strange sea-green jewel on a string necklace was placed around his neck. On his feet were black sneakers.

I'felt my cheeks heat up again. I always thought Naruto was attractive and his new clothes showcased his body unlike his robe. However, did these guys really dress like this when it is about 29 degrees (Fahrenheit)?

Iruka was the first one to approach, a warm smile on his face. "Sorry we took so long, but Naruto was being fussy. His ankle is still bothering him despite the wound being gone. It must be a kind of poison that's causing the lingering pain." I stared at the brunet, hard. Poison?! Upon seeing my face, he backtracked. "My bad! Don't worry about it too much, Naruto's immune system is off the charts when it comes to fighting off such things. The poison will just cause discomfort and some pain like I said."

The tension in my muscles started to recede as I reluctantly turned to look at Naruto. He was looking at the car, an expression of distrust as Kakashi was explaining the basis of he was to act in that chopped speech that Naruto spoke in.

"What happened to his ears and tails?"

"You see that necklace?" He pointed at the strange crystal. I nodded. "It has a crystal that's infused with the magic of Lord Minato and Lord Kurama combined. It was created for the sole purpose of letting Naruto change his form to fit his environment. It was what allowed Naruto to appear in a mix of a human and a fox at the same time in the legend. He can transform into a fox and back into his mixed form without it with ease, but turning into a full human is hard. He had left it with us when we first arrived here and since we need him to blend in today, we gave it back. It doesn't take away his whisker marks, however, so we just covered it up with some blush and mascara." While it makes sense, it also makes you wonder. Why exactly would Iruka and Kakashi have make up...?

"What happens when it's taken off?" If it did what I predict it would, it could end badly if Naruto was the catch the eye of a thief.

"Then, his form his reverted to his true form. If it was stolen, Lord Minato will strike swift vengeance on the one who stole from his kin before returning the crystal off." True form? Meaning his half form? And Minato seems rather over-protective, kind of the opposite of my father who doesn't really seem to care. I'm almost jealous.

"... If it's broken?"

"... It's one of Naruto's main sources of power as well as a physical representation of his link to the forest. If destroyed, well... no one in Konoha wants to know that." Okay, worse case scenario, Minato decides to kill off the human race. Anything better than that is a good thing considering that as a deity who can control the sky... there's a lot of ways to die...

"So... why are you dressed like it's summer?" Iruka laughed in a good-natured way at my question.

"It's mostly cold up here, so we're used to it being so cold. That and Naruto was radiating so much heat when we were getting dressed that we immediately started sweating when we tried to pull our coats on. He's not doing it now, but the heat lingers for a while after. Don't worry about it, we'll stop by our house in Konoha to get some proper winter clothing." We were silent for a while more before Iruka spoke up again.

"You know... he wouldn't stop calling for you after you left..." Iruka said softly, standing beside me. I snorted and looked away; he wasn't calling for me. Iruka, upon seeing my expression, raised an eyebrow, curiosity in his eyes.

"... If I may ask, what's wrong Sasuke? I've noticed that there is a rift between you and Naruto, does it have to do with...?" His voice trailed off when I pinned him with the fiercest glare I could.

He stared, shell shocked and unable to continue as I practically snarled, "What happened is _my_ business. Stay out of it, Iruka."

Iruka's gained a face of apprehension and worry, but he didn't say anything else. Turning away from him, I called out to Kakashi who was glancing at us with diligence. "Are you done with explaining?"

He stared at me for a while before nodding. I took out the keys and unlocked the doors, seeing Naruto flinch unconsciously from the sudden sound. His eyes were looking at everything but me, as if he was too ashamed to face me now. That only seemed to do nothing else but increase my ire. I climbed into the driver's seat, feeling the sense of authority of being the one driving. The rest of them climbed in, with Naruto being the last one in.

While Iruka was teaching a hesitant Naruto on how to wear a seat belt (it wasn't enjoyable), I adjusted the seat and wheel to my height. Kakashi, who would tell me how to get to Konoha, sat next to me, nose buried in that strange, orange book of his. Was it truly that interesting?

"Hey, what's that?" Iruka suddenly said. I turned behind me to look at him in confusion. He pointed a finger at my sketchbook that I had unconsciously placed beside me. I picked it up, looking it over and flipping through the pages to make sure it wasn't harmed. Luckily, there was nothing and the pencil that I had left behind was still in the spiraled wire.

"My sketchbook. I thought I'd sketch a few things in Konoha." He looked unconvinced by my quick lie, but took it nonetheless.

Soon, after everyone was settled, I turned on the engine (ignoring the squeak from behind me) and eased the car out of its home in the parking space. Kakashi directed me to go to the main road which was slowly beginning to fill with cars, most likely tourists. Apparently, everyone wanted to see a Half Moon Celebration that happened to occur on the night of Christmas.

* * *

_Naruto's POV_

He was uncertain and freaked about this. You could even say he was nervous. Was it really worth it, coming to the time where his people paid him respects with so many unknown humans around? The thought made him shift uncomfortably. Would they have their flashy lights and weird rectangles like many times before?

He wanted his ears and tails back; they were things he could hide behind and showed his emotions better than his words. His cheeks were also itchy from the powder Iruka had put on them. The scary monster, something Kakashi had called a 'car' bounced on the hard ground. No one else could feel the strange motion. They did not look disturbed by it at all. Why was he the only one to feel it? He groaned silently, feeling a bit nauseous at the strange motion.

After an eternity, the bouncing stopped. He let out a sigh of relief when it did. He turned his head to the side to view through the queer, transparent portal and froze. There were far too many humans than normal, more than normal visitors too. How many actually nice like Iruka and Kakashi? How many are willing to do what had Esuka had done for him? How many were greedy and wished for things that only they would benefit from?

As these thoughts circled around in his mind, he could faintly hear the voices of the others. He still did not understand most of what they say, but just the sound of their voices calmed down his nerves.

"I have to meet up with my parents in a little while." Esuka is leaving? He frowned, he still had to apologize...

"Of course, we'll take Naruto to Lady Tsunade." If he still had his tails, they'd be twitching in excitement and anticipation. He loved Tsunade because she is a nice human. She also looked like and cared for him like Papa, so he had a Papa in the mortal realm because Papa disliked visiting this realm. Iruka smiled at him, making him smile weakly back. He still did not feel good. Whether it was from the bouncing or from his ankle, he was not not sure. He tried to get up but was stopped by the strange restraining cloth. Annoyed, he poked the thing. His ears picked up laughter from Iruka and Kakashi who were looking at him with amused expressions. "You still don't understand it, do you?"

He shook his head; he was not impressed with the device. "Useless."

Iruka chuckled once more before moving to show him how to get the dang thing off when Esuka spoke. "I'll do it. You keep a look out for Orochimaru or my family. Besides, I need to talk to Naruto anyway."

Talk...? To... he? He couldn't help but feel bitter apprehension wash over him. He wanted to call Kakashi and Iruka back when they decided to do as said after a moment at looking at each other. No... come back...

"Sit up, I can't reach the buckle." He tensed at the sound of Esuka's voice before calming down and doing as said. He avoided looking at the other; how does one go about saying you are sorry when you do not want to accept...

He heard a strange sound and suddenly, he didn't feel the tightness of his restraints. Looking down, he saw them lying limply on the seat. Turning his head to the side where the portal closest to him was, he could see Esuka holding the door open for him, staring at him with an unidentifiable look in his eyes. Reluctantly, he left the car but nearly fell to his knees only to be caught by Esuka. He guesses that he was still recovering...

"... Are you going to stand?" Surprised, he moved to regain his footing. Once doing so, he backed away from Esuka, unsure of what to say now. There was an atmosphere of awkwardness around them. Esuka stared at him with a stoic face. His didn't want to admit that the lack of expression hurt him more than it should.

"... Uh... Will be at Celebration at evening?" The words passed through his lips in that uncomfortable way they've always had. They barely made sense in his mind and it took a while for him to understand what someone else was saying unless they broke it down.

"Yes." ... Do not worry. This is situation is not weird at all. Please. Continue to wow Naruto with your dazzling speeches.

Oh, this was so awakard...

"... Uh... Go see..." He tilted his head, trying to remember what was the word. Fam... mial? Fam...liar? No... that means similar, does it not? He pondered on this for a few moments before scowling and looking away to glare at the

"... If you have nothing else to say, I have to get going. My family is waiting." He watched the other turn away from him and walk away, not looking back once. He couldn't help but to stare after him; he wished he had said something actually worth while.

_I am sorry... _

* * *

He was wandering through the village, having ditched Kakashi and Iruka. He liked them, don't get him wrong, but the presence of all these humans put him in a rather paranoid mood. The more time he spent with so many unknown humans in one instance, the more he felt trapped and queasy. as if one wrong move would reveal himself. It wasn't a pleasant feeling if you haven't figured it out yet.

Upon coming to the large cave where Tsunade was usually found scratching a stick against a flimsy white leaf, he was instantly greeted warmly by Shizune, a pretty human with black hair. She was extraordinarily kind to him, though seemed fond of yelling at Tsunade when she decided to take a nap on the large block of wood. He never understood why; afternoon naps under the sun has always been a favorite pastime of his. He greeted back in the same manner, causing her to laugh a little before saying, "You've come to see Lady Tsunade, haven't you, Lord Naruto?"

He nodded eagerly, a wide smile on his face. It felt, for once, unfamiliar but welcomed; there was far too much brooding as of late and he was tired of it and he pain. He nodded again, deciding something. The next time he sees Esuka, he will definitely apologize, he will not let this strange mood between them continue. He missed Esuka a lot.

Shizune, oblivious to his thoughts, nodded too before leading him into the cave and guiding him through the winding halls. They were walking through a hall of white and a red, soft ground for about five minutes before coming to a stop in front of large doors. On the side were some strange boards with etchings of scribbles on them. She knocked loudly. "Lady Tsunade?"

"What is it, Shizune? I thought I told you that I'm not to be disturbed." Hearing her voice after so long, he couldn't help the widening of his smile. Tsunade sounded a bit disgruntled, but she usually cheered up when he came in. With a mission in mind, he walked up to the doors. Shizune looked at him in wonder before figuring out his thoughts and held her hands up to give him a negative gesture. He ignored it, putting on a bright smile as he pushed the doors open with ease and stepped inside.

"Tsuna..." His voice trailed off as he got a good look of the scene before him. A tall man that looked a lot like Esuka, a pretty woman that looked a lot like Esuka, a not-as-tall Esuka, Esuka himself, a Tsunade who had her head in her hand, and... and...

He could hear his heart beat quicker than before as if it was trying to escape from it's chest. His body was frozen, unable to move even the slightest as he continued to stare into golden eyes that were practically glowing with sick pleasure. Orochimaru...

"Well... Tsunade, if I may ask, who is this?" His voice made his skin crawl; the smell of snakes was prominent all around the room, as if the man had already staked his claim. He absently heard a conversation, but didn't understand a single bit of it. Those eyes had him pinned, not looking away or blinking.

"He's my grandnephew. He has come to Konohagakure to help with the celebration."

"Oh, he must feel so honored, Lady Tsunade!"

"... Yeah. He is."

"-chuckle- I didn't know you had a nephew in the first place."

"He's Nawaki's grandson."

"Oh, Nawaki settled down? It truly has been such a long time considering I never heard a word of Nawaki's marriage or a birth of a child."

He couldn't take it anymore. Squeezing his eyes shut, he swiftly turned on his heel and ran out of the room. He used his nose to lead him out of the cave and away from that man. His scent was filled with warning and the acid of snakes. He couldn't stay there any longer. As soon as he was outside, his nose was suddenly assaulted with scents of too many humans at once; he covered it with his nose, his eyes watering. He hadn't ever have to deal with such a thing before and now everything just seemed to keep piling on each other and make it worse.

His ankle was throbbing painfully as his steps began to falter in his moment of blindness. The headache that seemed to be content with staying in the back of his mind was fighting its way to the front, tearing down everything in its way. Tears pricked the corner of his eyes; how could so many things happen?

Before he had known it, the world had changed drastically and he was the only one left behind. Even his people had embraced the future, but not him because he had no idea... all the concepts that had been introduced to him in the past few moons sounded so far-fetched and seemed as if they were only fantasies. He was always proven wrong; humans could fly in the air like the proud eagle, they were able to swim to the dark depths of the ocean with practiced ease, the mortals could travel across the land with the speed of the fastest horse. Nothing was the same. He and his memories were nothing more than just relics of the past. A past the world did not seem to care about or even think about anymore for they only wanted the future to come and for it to come quickly. A sob escaped his mouth as he fell to his knees, ignoring all the whispering around him.

He thought he could find solace in the one thing that didn't seem to change; Esuka. But even _he_ had changed! Now he had Orochimaru who was coming after him and Esuka was ignoring him.

The sudden gain of so many issues and surprises was painful; why would it not it just stop?!

Why can't anything just remain the same?

Suddenly, he was yanked to his feet and dragged to a much more secluded area. Disoriented from so many thoughts and the pain in his ankle. When his blue eyes caught sight of glinting glasses hiding dark brown eyes, he panicked. He began to fight against the fierce grip on his torso and even attempted to activate his crystal to transform into his smaller, fox form but wasn't able to focus long enough to do so.

The other grunted in pain when he was kicked clean in the jaw and let go of him. He had fell to the ground and scrambled to run from this area when the man had caught his foot and pulled him back. Landing roughly on his stomach, he tried to kick the other man away. The man dodged most of the attacks and forced Naruto on his back and straddled him, holding a cloth with a angered and victorious glint in his eyes.

"No- no, get off! Do not-mmpph!" His mouth was suddenly covered with the strange, rough material that... had a sweet... enticing... scent...

* * *

_Sasuke's POV_

I had joined up with my family and the two people I wish would just jump off a cliff. The greetings ranged from lukewarm (father) to very enthusiastic (mother). After that, Kabuto had excused himself saying that he had to pick something up, but would return before the Celebration started which would be around six in the evening. It was noon when he said that. Then, Orochimaru played up to my mother's wish to meet the leader by saying he knew her personally and that he would take us to meet her.

When we had entered the building where Tsunade works at as the leader of Konohagakure, I could instantly feel an aggressive feel in the air. All the people had immediately stopped what they were doing to glare at the entrance. It wasn't directed at my family, but rather at Orochimaru. When I looked at him to see his reaction, I was shocked to see him smirk cruelly at them and address the secretary in a poisonous tone of voice. He had practically threatened her to take us to Tsunade and she had done so in an irate and distrustful manner.

Just what did he do to make them all so angry?

After we were escorted to a pair of large wooden doors, the secretary had knocked loudly on them and proclaimed our arrival. When we entered, Tsunade looked none too happy to see us. She was a beautiful woman with blond hair tied back into two loose pigtails and honey eyes. On her forehead was a blue diamond; I absently wondered what it's purpose was. Her clothes seemed to compromise of a gray and black blouse and loose green jacket with brown slacks and black heels. Her face was marred with a disdainful scowl. "Hello... Orochimaru."

Orochimaru returned it with the same smirk as before. "Good afternoon, Tsunade. How are you?"

She looked unimpressed. "Just fine." She turned to us, her eyes softening a little. "And may I inquire who you are?"

My father was about to say something, most likely a scathing remark of how she come she didn't know of the Uchihas when mother eagerly answered (thank god). "We're guests of Mr. Hebi for the Half Moon Celebration; the Uchihas of Otogakure. The man beside me is my husband, Fugaku and I'm Mikoto." She gestured to Itachi and me. "These are our two sons, Itachi and Sasuke."

Tsunade had nodded, a smile on her face that didn't reach her wary eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Orochimaru stepped forward, knowing that since the introductions were done with, there was nothing to shield Tsunade from answering him. "So, I noticed familiar faces all around working odd jobs. I even had an influx of applications with most having 'Konohagakure' in the home city box. It's truly amazing that you actually think you can pay off over a million dollars worth of debt in less than three months."

Her eyes narrowed and her body tensed in the chair she was sitting in behind her desk. "We can and will, Orochimaru. You know that losing the forest is practically suicidal to us all. Lord Minato will punish us all, not just Konohagakure."

"Hmp." My father snorted, glaring at the blond woman. He looked like he wanted to say something but mother was glaring at him so he kept his stupid mouth shut. I inwardly cheered for my mother; she practically had father eating out of her hands as of late. She must be as tired of his attitude as I am. Tsunade ignored his snort, more focused on who she actually considered a threat.

"To think you all actually still believe in that. It's just a trick to keep you imprisoned here on this mountain. Maybe all the people leaving is a good thing, then they'd finally see something beyond fairy tales and legends." I nearly jumped out of my skin when Tsunade had slammed her hands on her desk. Mother also looked surprised, while father softly tutted at the lack of professionalism. Itachi was watching the scene with inquiry shining in his eyes.

"I ask that you refrain from speaking in such a way!" She practically shouted before seemingly remembering where and who she was and sitting back behind her desk. I could practically see the angry vein on her forehead. Orochimaru looked undeterred.

"Why? So you can keep the 'balance' of your village in check? I never thought you would stoop so low, Tsunade." He drawled in a slow manner. It was a tennis match; both sides were hitting words back and forth between each other, neither side willing to relent.

Then, Naruto had burst in. He had looked at all of us like a deer caught in the light of a car, obviously feeling the uncomfortable and heavy atmosphere. His cerulean eyes had skimmed over each and every one of us, observing the scene. I knew that they had lingered on me the most, an almost apologetic and guilty look in his eyes, before they locked onto Orochimaru. The sheer amount fear that was present in his eyes the instant he locked eyes with Orochimaru's was insane.

"Well... Tsunade, if I may ask, who is this?" Oh god, please let Tsunade have the ability to make up suitable excuses on the spot!

"He's my grandnephew. He has come to Konohagakure to help with the celebration." Miracles _do _happen! Wait, Tsunade's grandnephew!Just how old is she?!

"Oh, he must feel so honored, Lady Tsunade!" My mother gushed loudly, looking over Naruto with admiring eyes. He paid no attention to it as he was still having a rather one-sided stare down with Ororchimaru (that Orochimaru was unfortunately destroying Naruto in)

"... Yeah. He is." I love the hinted sarcasm in her voice.

"-chuckle- I didn't know you had a nephew in the first place."

"He's Nawaki's grandson."

"Oh, Nawaki settled down? It truly has been such a long time considering I never heard a word of Nawaki's marriage or a birth of a child." Well, fuck. Now what?

Before Tsunade could come up with another excuse, Naruto had bolted out of the room, not being able to take such a confrontation with Orochimaru. Unconsciously, my body moved forward, compelled to run after him in concern but I stopped myself, knowing that Orochimaru was watching me. Showing signs that he could still get to Naruto through me can only lead to something worse than death.

* * *

After that, the conversation closed, seeing as Tsunade wasn't willing to say anything more now that her deity has ran off to who knows where. In fact, while we were leaving, I could overhear her telling the woman who had led Naruto to her office to round up a group to search for Naruto and bring him before her. It only reinforced what I thought about her, a woman with tact.

The rest of the time before the Celebration was spent just sightseeing. There wasn't a lot to do in Konoha since most worked or went to school during the day and leisure time compromised of outdoor activities such as tag and hide-and-seek. Even the adults enjoyed the games while the elders usually gossiped or spread their point of view of their legends with each other. All in all, it was as Sakura said.

A tight-knit community where, while old-fashioned, practically everyone got along and worked together to keep their home safe and accomplished that with ease. It was an Utopia hidden by the bitter coldness of a mountain.

All of the buildings were seemingly made mostly of cement with many windows to bring in light. That's one thing I noticed, most of all, in every room, there were at least two windows and maybe a couple of mirrors. Many people might not know this, but having just one window and a few properly placed mirrors can actually light up a whole room. It's effective and lightens up on the energy bill; mother has been considering innovating the mansion to fit this. Father, however, argued that the mansion has been in our family for decades and that we can't change it. Mother had sulked silently for a weeks over that one but conceded, unfortunately.

Konoha itself was a huge rectangle-like shape with evergreen trees decorated with orange lights and entrances to their prized forest lit up brightly by torches. Residential lots and the farm fields were all in the back left corner and away from the entrance while most commercial buildings were in the front. The houses were organized in such a way that all of the faced the east. Orochimaru explained that it was so that they could greet the Celestial God of the Sky when he raised the sun. There was a few stores near the residential area but those were mostly family owned businesses. Near the fields was a lake that is said to look like a walrus from a bird's eye view. Above the fields was a large, stony hill that supposedly was where Naruto would rest during the day. All over said fields were lanterns. Right now, people were running all over, filling the lanterns with fuel to prepare for the night.

A few people in colorful clothing were practicing dance steps with flags that had an orange flame insignia on them. Others were on the ground, making some sort of circle with swirly markings in them. When mother asked what it was for, Orochimaru explained that it was the crest of Naruto's father. They were to worship today along with Naruto. In front of the circle, there was a wooden platform with curtains on the back, most likely for where Tsunade would stand above the rest and deliver a speech of sorts. A large bowl filled with firewood was a few feet behind the microphone stand. All in all, they seemed to take the event seriously. Especially with so many people from the outside.

It was 5:39 right now and the preparations were nearly finished. Many people were starting to gather around the field, excited to see the Half Moon Celebration in person. We were in the front, having stayed there for the last thirty minutes just asking the locals what to expect. They all had suspicious expressions directed at Orochimaru but told us that such things were to be seen during the event. Mother was showering Orochimaru with many 'thank-yous' when he said he had to go check up on Kabuto. Itachi stood next to me as we watched Orochimaru walk off into the crowd, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"... Can you sense it, Sasuke?" He suddenly said in a hushed tone.

I tilted my head a little towards him, keeping a poker face on. "Sense what? The animosity? The tension? The growing excitement?"

"All of them and more." He snorted, a small smile on his face at my sarcasm before straightening out to a stoic expression. "Don't you feel as if something really... life-changing is about to happen?"

I felt my heart skip a beat, life-changing? There are so many things that could fit the bill. So lost in my thoughts, I didn't come up with an answer to my brother. He held up a hand to shake my shoulder when suddenly, the crowd parted and people began to applaud and cheer. looked up to see Tsunade walking towards the stage with a plastic smile on her face, her disdain at having so many people here for no reason at all but just because most likely the cause. I can understand why; this is a service to praise one of their cherished deities but a lot of the tourists were treating it as something they could throw money at and expect something exciting to happen or else the day is wasted.

She stood on the stage in front of the microphone wearing the same clothes we saw her in earlier except now she had on a black cloak and blue markings that matched Minato's crest on the back of her hands. Her honey eyes scanned over the crowd, that same poor smile on her face.

"Welcome my citizens and guests," Many people cheered for the last part while others looked at them in distrust. Konoha's natives aren't really welcoming to outsiders, are they? "Tonight, we celebrate the night of the honorable rescue of Lord Naruto."

The applause was smaller, as if the crowd were waiting for something more from her. I can almost guess what it was. Tsunade didn't appease them, preferring to gesture to the people that stood around the field near the torches. I guess they just start it once everyone is assembled, not give a speech (though, I'm thankful that the speech wasn't as long as I expected it to be). I could see one nod before lighting his lantern and another light his, it was a chain-reaction of blazing yellow lights all around the field. It was breath-taking to see it happen while the twelve dancers began to sway, the beginning of their dance. The soft sound of a drum was the beat.

They all wore long and colorful dresses with slits beginning at mid thigh. Underneath those were black pants that ended inside some slick black boots that didn't seem to hinder their movement. On their heads, they had a circlet of leaves that could only be found in Konoha. Some had elaborate jewelry and others didn't. In fact, not all of them were female, it was half and half.

People started to clap in time of the beat and cheer for when they started to move; dainty steps across the ground which had been cleared of snow and ice. The beat started to pick up when the dancers split into pairs and began to dance around each other. Then, they gathered around the crest circle and spinning to the ground one at a time and spinning back up. People were going crazy. I could see my mother's eyes completely fixated on the dancers. Father actually looked genuinely interested in their bewitching movements. I found it hard to look away, especially when I noticed Sakura's pink hair. I was inwardly proud to know someone who was participating in such a beautiful dance. Tsunade was still on the stage, holding a torch and standing next to the bowl.

Just as the dance was about to meet its climax and Tsunade was about to light the last lantern, all the lanterns flickered out. Confused, the dancers awkwardly stopped in the middle of jumping simultaneously and looked around at the crowd, a sign that they didn't know what was going on and that it was _not_ normal. Murmurs and whispers floated through the air and people started turning their heads this and way and that to figure out why the dancers had stopped.

_Clap._

_Clap._

_Clap._

Everyone instantly turned back to the stage to see a smirking Orochimaru standing opposite of Tsunade. Almost instantly, I felt myself tense and crouch a little, as if ready to attack. I could see quite a few people in the crowd as well as the dancers do the same. We were all thinking the same thing; what was he doing up there!?

"What in the world is Mr. Hebi doing?" I heard mother ask. If only we knew.

"Quite a gathering, don't you think, Tsunade?" Tsunade moved away from the large bowl, glaring at Orochimaru.

"What are you doing here, Orochimaru?"

"Extracting revenge." His face twisted into the ugliest scowl when he answered that. Tsunade eyes widened before narrowing.

"Hardly a reason."

"It does when you finally get what you've wanted after over one thousand years." Hushed whispers arose at that statement. I was shocked to hear what he was saying; getting what he wanted after a thousand years?

_"What?"_

_"A thousand years?"_

_"Has Konoha always done some sort of play for the Celebration or is this one just special?"_

_"Neither, I bet you that the pale one is on some crack."_

What kind of bullshit is he pulling now? I turned to Tsunade, expecting to see an incredulous expression but was shocked to see her face pale. In fact, a lot of the villagers were shuffling nervously and looking to the stage or sky with hopeful gleams.

Just what is this village hiding?

"... What do you mean?" Tsunade finally said, standing straight. Orochimaru's smirk returned and he gestured to the curtains which drew back to reveal...

Shocked gasps and shouts of panic echoed through the air, including my own. The curtains revealed Kabuto holding a dazed Naruto up on his knees. His eyes weren't focused on anything and he didn't seem to hear any of the commotion. Naruto was in his own universe.

_"Who's that guy?"_

_"I heard he's the leader's grandnephew?"_

_"GRANDNEPHEW!? How old is she?!"_

_"About 53."_

_"... What."_

_"I know right, no surgery or medicine was used to look like that."_

_"I call bullshit."_

Ignoring the murmurs of the crowd, Tsunade looked between them in a frantic manner. "How did you-"

"How he came to be in my possession is none of your concern." The blond woman was taken aback by that statement before scowling deeply. "What will be your concern is what I plan to do." He sidestepped over to Naruto and gently cradled the crystal in his left hand, still staring at Tsunade. Fear crept through my veins; he wouldn't.

"The very thing that stopped me from keeping him as my pet..." I wanted to growl; Naruto's no one's pet! Wait, as his pet? Like, as in the present time or...?

Tsunade blew out her torch before dropping it to the ground with a thud. "You know you're never to reveal that!"

"What's the point of keeping it a secret. We all know everyone's going to find out! That the legend of the Half Moon is true; that you are the reincarnation of the first leader's wife!" Wait- reincarnation!? I looked between Tsunade's displeased face and Orochimaru's mad grin. He pointed at me without even looking, making me take a step back just in case. "That he is the reincarnation of the damnable Esuka who had let my pet escape from his cage!"

... Oh. Tha... WHAT. I admit it, I froze up in panic while I batted the new information around in my head. Okay, reincarnation? That explains a lot considering what Naruto first said to me when we first(?) met.

**_"Do not play! Esuka here! Smell you, same! See you, same! Act you, same! Esuka!"_**

I mentally slapped myself in realization; I pretty much yelled at Naruto for no reason! He believes I'm Esuka because I _am_ Esuka. I had even read an article that the Konoha natives believed in reincarnations somewhere; Iruka and Kakashi probably didn't tell me because they believed I had figured it out on my own. I'm such an idiot!

"And I'm the emperor has come back to reclaim what is mine!" I was shaken out of my thoughts just in time to see that with a swift flick of the wrist, he had torn off the necklace and almost immediately Naruto became alert.

His eyes caught sight of the glinting crystal dangling from Orochimaru's hand; blue changed to a fiery reddish-orange. My jaw dropped when his body took on the appearance of being on fire and strange black markings covered his body and clothing. The most "normal" thing was the reappearance of his ears, tails, and cheek marks. All around, people began to run around, confused and in panic (if the shouts of 'fire' are anything to base it from). Tsunade moved to run over to Naruto (who was glaring at a less confident looking Kabuto) only to be stopped by Orochimaru's arm. She looked up at him before pulling her arm back and socking right in the jaw. My respect for her increases with everything she does.

Orochimaru stumbled back a few feet, holding his jaw and glaring at Tsunade who signaled for someone to hold him back. About eight guys had raced onto the stage, all with angry faces as they forced him to the ground. Seeing him secure, she resumed walking over to Naruto who had fully incapacitated Kabuto (he wasn't dead, just knocked out). Once she was at his side, he stood up straight and looked over the crowd. His eyes scanned over the ground until they had caught my eyes.

They had something different than the blue I was used to; they showed all his emotions, past and present ones. In those eyes, I could see more pain than ever. I wonder how long it's been since Naruto looked like this. Since he left Konoha after getting the emperor to leave? Does revealing himself to the world hurt that much? Well... considering that everyone was running, screaming, and calling the police or trying to fight each other to get to their cars...

Mother and father were shouting at the people holding Orochimaru down. Itachi was standing next to me, just watching the chaos reign. He didn't look surprised, but rather pleased. It was proven true when he put a hand on my shoulder and looking at me with a small smile. "I knew it."

"Knew what?" The words had tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it. He didn't look upset by my questioning.

"That the legend is true and that Orochimaru was the emperor."

"What? How?" I asked, surprised. When did he figure it out? It would've been nice to know that before he dropped it on us like this!

His smile grew a little. Then, he put his other hand on my opposite shoulder and started to push me up to the stage. I didn't resist, more focused on his explanation. "Whenever I came here the last couple of days, I went to the library and pestered the locals. After a while, they finally just shoved me into a room with all these paintings. In them was paintings of the fox in a cage and two people. One looked like you and one looked like Orochimaru. It was easy to put two and two together." I nodded in understanding. We were now at the stairs leading onto the stage.

"And seeing you cuddle up to the fox at night was absolutely adorable. Deidara loved those pictures."

Fucking Itachi.

I sent him a dirty look, only to be taken aback when I noticed that he was staring dead at the stage with a serious expression. Curious, I looked in the same direction. Orochimaru was still being held down, but he had a grin on his face, like we've forgotten something that will give him the advantage. Eyes narrowing, I stepped onto the stage bringing everyone's attention to me.

"Sasuke! Get off the stage and away from-"

"If I can't have what I deserve, then no one will get off of this mountain alive!" Orochimaru cut my father off. I saw my father step back out of surprise; no one has ever talked to him as if he was inferior. Just as father was going to open his mouth, Orochimaru lifted up his hand that still had Naruto's crystal in it. I saw Naruto raise a hand to his neck before he and I both started running towards Orochimaru just as the damn bastard slammed the necklace into the wooden stage, effectively breaking it into tiny little shards

"Ngh!" I saw Naruto start to stumble and I ran over to catch him before he fell on his face. I got down to my knees and held his torso up. The red and orange flames died away as the wind started to pick up at a rapid rate. Naruto's now blue eyes were looking straight up in the sky. I didn't really want to because I could already see the reflection in his eyes, but I had to know how bad it was. Slowly, I lifted my head up and nearly shat myself.

The sky was as dark as obsidian. Every now and then, I could see the flash of electric blue lightning followed with thunderous roar. The wind was blowing fast, leaves and roof shingles were starting to get picked up. I could absently hear Tsunade shout for the emergency sirens to be called and to start evacuating the area over the chaos of screaming and thunder. Rain began to pound harshly on the ground and stage, drenching us all.

"Arashi." My brother's tenor voice managed to break through the barrier of the loud noises around us.

I turned to him (he was looking at the sky, as if it was raining flowers) and practically screamed, "What!?"

"That's what Lord Kyuubi calls Lord Minato in the legends. He calls him "Little Storm or Arashi no Sukoshi. He calls him that because of how volatile Lord Minato gets when angry!"

I threw a glare that said:_ I JUST SAW A BOLT OF LIGHTNING HIT TREE AND SET IT ON FIRE WITH BLUE FLAMES. I THINK IT'S CLEAR HE'S PISSED._

Am I being irrationally angry and paranoid!? NO! This is a common reaction to when the deity who controls the sky and everything with it (including weather) gets angry. When he saw my glare, he merely rolled his eyes and looked over to where Orochimaru should be. I nearly shat myself again when I saw the sheer amount of fury that managed to flare up in the split-second he looked. I glanced over and found myself overtaken with anger as well.

The bastard was gone, most likely kicking his captors off of him either when they looked up at the sky or when people _really_ started to freak out. Turning back to my brother who had walked over to the back of the stage and came back, I asked, "What about Kabuto?"

He shook his head. "He's gone, too. Must have sneaked off or Orochimaru had picked him up. Hard to tell."

Both Itachi and I glanced over to where the crystal shards were. They, too, were gone. Everything was missing. Mother and father were probably still lost in the crowd, trying to either find us or a safe place to hide in. Somehow, I think we'll be okay. While Minato is furious, he doesn't seem to be in a blind rage.

We've been on this stage for about fifteen minutes and we haven't been hit with anything; not something picked by the wind, not a bolt of lightning, nothing.

"...?" I heard Naruto whine and pull at my shirt. I swallowed thickly before looking down at him. His face was messy with sweat and is eyes looked tired, but he had a determined expression, as if he really needed to do something before he finally gave out to exhaustion. I pulled him up closer, absently seeing my brother slip off the stage and kneel to the ground in prayer.

"What is it?" I questioned him in a soft voice.

"... Esuka." I flinched at the name. He paused, furrowing his eyebrows before continuing. "Not Esuka. Not anymore."

I looked at him in astonishment. Not anymore?

"... Esuka not here, but... Sasuke is. Want Sasuke." He finished, getting on his own knees and wrapping his arms and tails around me and my neck. "Sasuke here."

Reluctant and blushing slightly, I hugged him back, maybe even tighter, afraid that something or someone would take him away again. I never realized just how empty I had felt, with the guilt and depression eating away at me. Holding him close to me like this, I could feel the hole gradually fill up. I didn't feel empty anymore. For whatever reason that was beyond me at the moment (and later one as well when I had gone over the scene in my head, trying to make sense of it), I kissed his cheek softly and pushed his head gently onto my shoulder. "Yeah... Sasuke here."

The sky began to slowly clear up and the clouds begin to brighten; a physical representation of our apologies and forgiveness.

* * *

_January 1st_

_New Year's_

* * *

Konohagakure escaped the storm with minimal damages. A few trees had been shot down but the rain had almost instantly put out any fire that came from it.

The disaster Celebration on Christmas has had people all over in a raging riot. Many had demanded that Konoha's citizens be evacuated to 'safer' cities/villages and the land be sold off to the highest bidder. Others had proclaimed to let Konoha keep its mountain, but pay heavy taxes since it failed to announce such a disastrous storm.

Problem with that is: You can't really announce what you can't control.

What has Konoha said about this? Nothing. It wasn't because they were ashamed or because they were angry. Most of them truly believed that if so many people hadn't of come, Minato wouldn't have been so upset and therefor, the storm was not their fault. Instantly, they were called out because no one else believed in their "fake" legends and deities. They're still debating on it with neither side yielding to each other.

Me? Personally, I believe they're trying to cover up Orochimaru and his ramblings. Tsunade had told me that they had given chase, but thanks to the storm and the random people running around like maniacs, he had gotten away. Somewhere along the line, the villagers had graciously accepted me (they had already accepted Itachi who had apparently converted).

Itachi had went up to Konoha for some reason, most likely to help with the prayer service. Mother has been spending the last few days recovering from a very fatal injury on her arm that had been caused by being slammed against the door by some idiot. The doctor had said that her shoulder had gotten dislocated and she would need to wear a sling for about one to two months. Now she's sick with a fever and lying in the bed in our room in the lodge. Father didn't think it was smart for her to move from a mountain down to near sea level with her in such a state, so he extended our stay.

I snorted, remembering that announcement made two days ago. Fine by me.

I was currently sitting on one of the top branches of an evergreen in the forest behind the lodge. The sky was filled with a few gray and wispy clouds, but they did nothing to hinder the beauty of the sun as it set for the day. The sky was filled with the many hues of blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and red. Occasionally, birds would fly up, obstructing my vision and make me want to throw a rock at it just so it would get out of the way. For miles, I couldn't see much of anything but forest (unless I looked behind me, then I would see the lodge, streets, cars, and basically civilization). It wasn't that cold, not anymore.

I turned to Naruto who sat beside me. His complexion was healthier, even though he found it fun to dress as if it was eighty degrees outside (Fahrenheit). With his crystal broken and gone, he had been stripped of practically all of his powers. All that he had left was the ability to shift between a half form and a full fox form. Will he ever get his other powers back? None of us know. Feeling my gaze, he turned to me and smiled. "Papa happier now. Can tell."

I nodded a little. "Yeah..." I shuffled a little until my back was leaning against the rough bark of the tree trunk for support. "Naruto..."

He tilted his head to show that he heard me. I shrugged, unsure of how to voice my question. "Are you sure you're fine? With losing all of your powers? Not being able to communicate with your father as easily as before?"

Naruto's smile dropped and he turned his head back to the sunset. "No..."

I let out a deep breath, closing my eyes. At least he was telling the truth... "But."

I looked back up to see him smile softly, not really looking at anything. "Not alone. Not anymore." He turned back to me, brightening his smile. "Have Sasuke now. Can go though it now that Sasuke here." He turned back to the sunset, his smile not dimming in the least.

Flushing slightly at those words and that goofy grin he was directing at me, I looked back at the sunset.

"Yeah..." I didn't even try to hold back the smile that had plastered itself on my face as we continued to watch the sunset, finally together.

* * *

Well? Was it what you were expecting? I bet half of you are going to shake your heads no. Guys, I'm going to be honest and say that this is one of those stories that has the "stuff" for another "season", so to speak. I mean, there's still plenty of questions still unanswered and one last series might answer them all, but I'm not willing to continue unless you want me to. I also realize that SasuNaru is very small! :,(

Next time, I'll make it more prominent. Trust me, Sasuke has a crush on Naruto while Naruto has some complicated love issue/crush on Sasuke. If you understand the whole 'Sasuke is Esuka's reincarnation' thing, you'd understand why.

I have the explanation of Naruto's POV! Since he was currently in his "human" form, he has slightly more coherent thoughts. However, his defenses are weakened so he's more susceptible to things like chloroform.

Anyway! Thank you all for reading, reviewing, and faving/following!

Thank you especially for reviewing:

**Rei (Anonymous; thank you for being my first reviewer. :,) )**

**clio1111 (I remember you from my One-Shot of Six! :D)**

**Pyschopathicxangel (thank you for the support!)**

**xdevil-childx (for just being awesome)**

**ShimaBonBon (I'm sorry, but my stories are usually tragic in some way. :,D)**

**WarFlower (your PMs has really lifted me up from laziness!)**

**AkumasFate ( :3 )**

**TiarAstrid (you have better let me see how you wrote Naruto's POV )**

Bye guys! :) See ya in whatever I update next~

_**~Kitsune-Ohime-Sama~**_

_**PS:**_I'm telling you guys that this was finished on the 1st! Stupid computer decided to be slow when it came to loading up the screens! :(

_**PPS:**_ What do you get if you take Sasuke's name and spell it backward and take away the 's'? :)


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